Damien O’Reilly is the ICOS EU Affairs and Communications manager, based in Brussels. This year ICOS is celebrating 50 years operating at the heart of the EU having opened its office there in 1973 to coincide with Ireland joining the EEC. Damien was appointed to the role in November 2022. Prior to that he spent 24 years working as a radio broadcaster with RTE Radio 1. Damien worked mainly on agricultural issues and presented the award-winning Countrywide programme. He also presented news, sports, and current affairs programmes for the station. Damien is a joint founder and current committee member of the European Network of Agricultural Journalists.