Taoiseach to meet Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar in Budapest
- Published on: 4 June 2026
- Last updated on: 4 June 2026
Taoiseach Micheál Martin is in Budapest today (Thursday, 4 June) to meet Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar. The visit is part of his programme of meetings with EU leaders ahead of Ireland’s Presidency of the EU Council, which begins on 1 July.
The leaders will discuss preparations for Ireland’s Presidency as well as international issues and bilateral relations.
The Taoiseach will also undertake a series of other engagements while in Budapest, including a visit to the Hungarian Parliament and a meeting with Irish-Hungarian community leaders.
Speaking ahead of the visit, the Taoiseach said:
“I look forward to meeting Prime Minister Magyar and congratulating him in person on his convincing election victory.
“With less than four weeks to go before Ireland takes on the Presidency of the EU Council, I will also discuss with the Prime Minister his priorities for our term-in-office.
“Ireland’s Presidency comes at a time of great global challenges and uncertainty. I will brief the Prime Minister on our plans to focus on improving EU competitiveness, negotiating the Union’s next budget, and security. We will also seek to make progress on EU enlargement.
“I also look forward to discussing geopolitical challenges, including conflict in Ukraine and the Middle East.
“As EU Presidency in 2004, Ireland welcomed Hungary to the European Union in the last major wave of EU enlargement. As we take on our eighth Presidency, I look forward to working with Prime Minister Magyar to reaffirm Hungary’s place at the heart of our Union.
“This year also marks the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Ireland and Hungary.
“The Irish and Hungarian people have shared a remarkable resilience and have strong cultural and community ties. I look forward to discussing how we can further strengthen our connections with the new administration in Budapest.”