Ireland launches €2 coin for EU Council Presidency
Central Bank of Ireland Governor Gabriel Makhlouf launched a €2 commemorative coin to mark Ireland's Presidency of the Council of the European Union. The coin symbolises Ireland's commitment to the European project and its efforts to deepen the single market.
Ireland's European commitment
Central Bank of Ireland Governor Gabriel Makhlouf launched a €2 commemorative coin marking Ireland's Presidency of the Council of the European Union.
The coin symbolises Ireland's commitment to the European project and its central role.
The Central Bank actively supports the Presidency, assisting the Department of Finance on key legislative files.
Makhlouf highlighted the Presidency's responsibility to ensure continuity in European lawmaking, address common citizen concerns, and uphold the Union's values.
A primary objective is deepening the single market across goods, services, and capital, aiming for significant improvements in prosperity and economic resilience.
This includes advancing the Digital Euro framework, fostering a more liquid EU capital market, enhancing the securitisation market, promoting a competitive banking sector, and boosting retail investment participation, all aligned with the 'One Europe, One Market Roadmap'.
A total of 500,000 Presidency coins will enter circulation this week.
A spiral of European unity
The commemorative coin features the official Presidency logo, blending scientific discovery with Irish artistic heritage.
Its design represents the spiral structure of the nebula, first identified in Ireland in the 1840s using the Great Telescope at Birr Castle.
The pattern also incorporates Irish sculptural work, reinterpreting ancient symbols through a modern lens.
Each arm of the spiral includes 27 discs, symbolising the 27 EU Member States.
The central space forms a five-point star, a direct symbol from the EU flag.
This coin aims to serve as a tangible reminder in people's pockets of Ireland's Presidency and Europe's impact on daily life.