By Oana Lungescu BBC European correspondent in Brussels

After the unpredictable Italian EU presidency, you could almost hear a collective sigh of relief in Brussels as Ireland took over for the next six months.

The Irish see their presidency as a time of fresh beginnings.

There will be elections for a new European parliament in June and governments will start to choose the next team of European Commissioners.

And on 1 May, Ireland will host a "day of welcomes" for the 10 new countries joining the EU.

We'll have street fairs, musicians, something that really brings home to people the joy and the excitement of enlargement Anne Anderson Irish EU ambassador

Anne Anderson, the Irish ambassador to the EU, is looking forward to a great party.

"In 10 towns around the country we'll be organising street celebrations, carnivals, they will be matched with the 10 new member states," she says.

"We will be sending people to those countries; they'll be sending people to Ireland.

"We'll have street fairs, musicians, something that really brings home to people the joy and the excitement of enlargement."

Unlike the big countries of the EU, which often push their own national agendas, Ireland is seen as a safe pair of hands and a "good European".

Irish PM Bertie Ahern has been handed tough challenges

The country has done tremendously well out of the union.

Thirty years ago, it joined the bloc as one of its poorest members. Now, it has shot up to the top of the EU wealth league, with the second highest per capita income after Luxembourg.

Making its presidency a success, especially after Italy's erratic six months, is a way of paying its dues.

But for a country like Ireland, with a population of just four million, the EU presidency is a huge undertaking.

Preparations have been under way for two years.

"There is a very big injection of additional resources that are required. For example at our representation here in Brussels we've doubled our size from 80 to about 160 officers," says Anne Anderson.

I believe there's a political commitment to an agreement (on the constitution) - it's a question of when Brian Cowen Irish Foreign Minister

"I think I heard the figure of about 4,000 meetings of working groups during a six-month presidency. It is a vast and complex piece of machinery."

In addition, Ireland has been handed a poisoned chalice by Italy, following the collapse of talks on the future European constitution.

Can Ireland pick up the pieces at the next EU summit in March? Foreign Minister Brian Cowen is making no promises.

"I believe there's a political commitment to an agreement - it's a question of when," he says.

'Time and space'

"We will work with commitment and energy based on the mandate we've been given, to report to our colleagues as to how we see a way forward.

"And I think using that political time and space well is an important aspect of us making sure we can get a successful conclusion. So let's take that step by step."

Over an Irish coffee and a pint of stout, two journalists - Conor Sweeney from the Irish Independent and Enrico Brivio from the Italian daily Il Sole 24 Ore - agree this may be the right approach.

Mr Cowen, when I asked him what type of personality the Irish would bring to the table, said 'We do things with a smile on our faces' Conor Sweeney Irish Independent

"There will be some months now when we have to let the dust settle and there will be also the European elections.

"This will be another issue that will let people have a moment to pause and rethink strategies in view of the new treaty," says Enrico.

Conor, meanwhile, says the failure to agree on the constitution will not overshadow the celebrations planned to mark the EU's enlargement.

"Mr Cowen, when I asked him what type of personality the Irish would bring to the table, said 'We do things with a smile on our faces'," says Conor.

"And I think there will be a big smile on everybody's faces on 1 May, when enlargement happens. And that will be the big issue of the presidency."