Ireland hopes that the Social Summit organized by the President of the Portuguese European Union in Porto in May will be held in person and will help send a “strong signal of cooperation, hope and change” to Europeans.

“I am deeply impressed by the Portuguese presidency’s commitment to social Europe, and we see ourselves in these values ​​that we all share. I think about Europeans and how to treat people the right way, ”said Thomas Byrne, Ireland’s European Minister, in an interview with Lusa during his visit to Lisbon.

“The agenda is very important, but given the situation, I think the summit will be held in person, in the context of an epidemic, and will send strong signals of cooperation, hope and change.

Thomas Byrne assures that the Irish Government is in line with the objectives of the Summit and will work to ensure that an agreement is reached on the European Pillar of Social Rights Action Plan proposed by the European Commission. At the European minimum wage.

Dublin, which has implemented a high national minimum wage, supports the proposal and is proud of it, saying Ireland says it is very helpful to reach an agreement on the issue in the European Union.

“It will be difficult because not everyone thinks the same way. The principle of subsidiaries is also important for Ireland, which is a practical challenge for some countries, “he said.

He reminds us that social Europe deals with issues that “people recognize” and that if European leaders can “show that they work for all citizens,” the outcome of the summit may be “a response to populism.”

“We have the opportunity here to reevaluate the global agenda,” he concludes, focusing on social Europe.

The Social Summit to be held in Porto on May 7 and 8 is considered by the Portuguese Government as the “heart and high moment” of the Portuguese Presidency of the Council of the European Union and aims to reach a political agreement on the 27th. An action plan for the implementation of the European Pillar of Social Rights, a document aimed at establishing social policies at the center of climate and digital transformations and engines of economic and social recovery.