Ireland's Taoiseach backs merit-based EU enlargement ahead of presidency

Irish Taoiseach Micheál Martin has called on the EU to keep to its existing merit-based enlargement process, saying debate over treaty reform or special arrangements should not distract from accession talks with Ukraine and Western Balkan candidates.

Martin made the remarks in an interview with the Financial Times published on June 22, 2026, as Ireland prepares to take over the rotating presidency of the Council of the EU in the second half of the year.

He said the current treaties already provide the framework for enlargement and that he does not want discussion of reform to detract from Montenegro's application. He also said enlargement remains strategically important for the Western Balkans and the wider neighbourhood.

Ireland's role

Ireland will assume the Council presidency at a time when enlargement is back near the top of the EU agenda. The bloc formally opened accession talks with Ukraine in June 2026 after Hungary dropped its veto, according to the Financial Times.

Martin's intervention suggests Dublin wants to avoid reopening the accession model just as member states debate how to speed up future accessions while preserving unanimity and other safeguards.

Wider enlargement debate

The comments come against a backdrop of broader discussion in Brussels about whether the EU should adapt its rules for new members. A Guardian report on May 26, 2026 said the bloc was considering ways to limit veto rights for future member states as part of a push to make enlargement more workable.

Another Guardian report on June 5 said leaders were pressing the EU to show it was capable and willing to take in new members, including through ideas such as gradual or associate integration.

The Council of the EU says enlargement remains a formal accession process based on the existing framework. Official Council material also highlights Ukraine's accession track as part of that process.

What it means

The immediate question is whether Ireland's presidency will help advance enlargement discussions or keep them anchored to the current treaty path. Another open question is whether member states will move from informal debate to a formal proposal on accession-rule reform.

For now, Martin's message is to keep the process moving without letting institutional arguments crowd out the applications already on the table.