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There are “challenges” in agreeing the European Union budget before the end of the year, Ireland has said as it continues its presidency of the Council of the EU.

EU affairs ministers from around the bloc gathered in Dublin on Thursday and Friday for an informal meeting of the EU General Affairs Council.

The meetings were hosted by Irish EU Minister Thomas Byrne and dealt with enlargement, the protection of democracy and the next long-term budget for the union the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF).

He was joined by the European commissioner for budget Piotr Serafin, the European Parliament co-rapporteurs on the MFF, Carla Tavares MEP and Siegfried Murean MEP, and the chair of the European Parliament budget committee Johan van Overtveldt MEP.

At a press conference on Friday, both Mr Byrne and Mr Serafin said there was a need to get the MFF agreed this year so it is operational by 2028.

The EU commissioner said: “We cannot afford to have delays in implementation.

“We need to make sure that the EU budget functions, delivers constantly as of January 1 2028.

“And I want to say in that particular context that I am confident that the determined efforts of the Irish presidency is bringing us closer to this target.

“Of course, there is still a long way to go, but I believe that after sessions that we had and your bilaterals, we are getting closer to that objective.”

Mr Byrne minister said: “While the challenge is clear, I think we can reach the moment and reach agreement.”

He said he welcomed the views of his colleagues and the European Parliament on the “roles for competitiveness and security, which will be essential elements in the next long-term EU budget”.

EU ministers also discussed the balance of expenditure in the next MFF.

Mr Byrne, who has undertaken 14 bilateral meetings this week, said there were “diverse views” among member states on the budget.

Talks have advanced, with a source describing “real discussions” being brought to the table after a “clash” between the emergence of two camps the “modernisers” and “friends of cohesion”.

It is understood negotiators believe they can now start to see where compromises may be drawn, but domestic political situations in respective member states is seen as a key challenge with positions having to be agreed among multi-party coalitions.

Proposals around considering new “own resources” revenue raising are seen as logistically and politically challenging, but have not been ruled out.

Negotiators are trying to determine what elements of expenditure are not priorities for net recipients in the EU.

Mr Serafin acknowledged “tensions” in the room, but said “everyone understands the need for a compromise”.

He stated that the Commission and Parliament’s proposals are always “ambitious”, before member states propose cuts.

He told reporters: “I believe that the more modern part of the budget requires more active engagement also from the Commission side.

“I am afraid that for too many member states, the key priority is to see cuts, and there are also member states that would like to protect what is the most dear to them, regional agriculture, and that’s where I see the role of the Commission to be the voice in favour of modernisation, in favour of competitiveness, in favour of the security.”