EESC President

Séamus Boland was elected President of the European Economic and Social Committee in October 2025.

He has been an EESC Member since 2011. He has held various roles at the Committee, including President of the Civil Society Organisations' Group (2020–2025) and Vice-President of the Civil Society Organisations' Group (2018–2020).

His policy and political interests include the eradication of poverty, social exclusion, rural development and inequality.

President Boland was CEO of Irish Rural Link from 2001 to 2025, has served as Chair of the Peatlands Council since 2012 and was a Board Member of Inland Fisheries Ireland from 2018 to 2022.

In October 2024, he was appointed to the Just Transition Commission as an independent expert by Ireland's Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications.

President Boland is a farmer and has worked in civil society for over 40 years, including with young people, ethnic minorities, people with disabilities and people living in rural isolation. He is a trained Speech and Drama Educator.

President Boland is married to Geraldine Boland and has three children and three grandchildren.