Good morning,The Taoiseach arrives in Brussels today for the latest meeting of European Union heads of government – and as Ireland prepares to take up the reins of the EU presidency next month. The EU presidency is a strange beast – for the man or woman in the street, it will mean little beyond a series of unwelcome disruptions as VIPs are ferried from pillar to post. But for the political classes – and for Micheál Martin himself – it is probably the big event of the year, with Ireland taking up the premier deal making role within the bloc for six months. Brussels-gazers wax lyrical about the excitement of high-wire negotiations as national interests square off against each other, while the Irish security services are preparing for what they say is the biggest operation in the history of the State. On the agenda today in Brussels – and expected to be absolute front and centre during Ireland’s presidency – is the multiannual financial framework, the seven-year EU budget which is a tortured negotiation even by EU standards. This is expected to be the first tete-a-tete between EU leaders with the so-called “frugals” (the Dutch, Sweden and Denmark) pushing back hard against a majority of countries who want to spend more. This is the gap that Ireland will have to try to bridge in the coming months. There’s also due to be a debate about Chinese competition with EU industries, and whether Brussels needs to get tough and rebalance that trading relationship. Martin and other leaders will discuss continued support for Ukraine and the situation in the Middle East, and European competitiveness – also a key priority for the Irish presidency. The Irish Times has a brace of Jacks (yours truly and Europe Correspondent Jack Power) in situ to cover proceedings in the Belgian capital, where the summit is due to get under way late afternoon. It’s expected to go well into the night, before concluding on Friday afternoon. Keep across Irishtimes.com for updates, and on the Inside Politics podcast tomorrow. Makerfield or breakerfieldIt’s D-Day in the Makerfield byelection, with Andy Burnham heavily tipped to take the seat and launch a challenge to Keir Starmer. The King of the North is fancied to topple Starmer and become prime minister, with reports on Wednesday indicating he would turn down a cabinet position if offered by the incumbent. Game on. Updates through the day on Irishtimes.com Best readsThere’s a real ruck under way between Minister for Communications Patrick O’Donovan and An Post over pay and investment at the company. Read more in our front page story here. Sinn Féin’s abortion reform bill passed a key Dáil vote last night – but not without a few Cabinet ministers and Government backbenchers voting against the legislation to end the three-day wait for accessing abortion services. You couldn’t call it a rebellion – without a whip in place, there was nothing to rebel against. But it ain’t nothing, either. Miriam Lord’s Dáil sketch is here.And here’s how the vote went down. Naomi O’Leary reports from Evian-les-Bains and the G7. Vital Áras garden party content from Conor Pope. Mellow jazz, cool salsa, big hats and line dancing.Jack Power on European inertia when it comes to pressuring Israel over its conduct in GazaPlaybookThe last sitting day of the week rolls around again, with Dara Calleary (Social Protection) taking oral questions in the Dáil in the morning followed by Darragh O’Brien (Transport), before Leaders’ Questions at noon. Other Members’ Questions and Questions on Policy or Legislation follows, then statements on rare diseases in government time after lunch, before topical issues and a motion on inclusive education for persons with disabilities rounds out the day. The full schedule is here.Over in the Seanad, matters commence with Commencement Matters at 9.30am, and later in the morning the Seanad considers laws amending the Firearms Act. It adjourns at 1pm. Here’s the full schedule.In the Committee Rooms, teachers’ unions are in the Education Committee to talk about Special Needs Assistants and Special Education Teachers. That’s at 9.30amThe Defence and National Security committee is hearing from the Cypriots about their experience of the EU presidency at the same time, while the Public Accounts Committee holds its weekly meeting – hosting Skillnet – at 10.30am.The Housing Committee launches a report on homelessness at 10am, while Traveller accommodation will be considered at the 12.30pm meeting of the Commitee on Key Issues affecting the Traveller Community. Here’s the full schedule.