We co-ordinate the department’s employment related input into the EU's Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council (EPSCO).
EPSCO is one of the ten current EU Council of Ministers formations and brings together ministers with responsibility for employment, social affairs, health and consumer policy from all EU member states. Relevant European Commissioners also participate in meetings.
There are four formal EPSCO meetings a year shared in Brussels and Luxembourg along with two informal meetings in the country of the current EU Presidency.
Given the cross-cutting nature of this Council, a number of other departments also provide input to the Council in particular the Department of Social Protection (as the lead department) and the Department of Children, Disability and Equality. In this regard we actively engage with colleagues across government, including in relation to the planning and preparation for Ireland’s upcoming Presidency of the Council of the European Union in 2026.