Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 11 June 2026
100. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport to outline the key discussions at the recent EU Sports Council meeting on sports tourism; to detail the updates provided in relation to AgoraEU and the EU Work Plan for Culture 2027-2030; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44217/26]
View answerOn 12 May 2026, I attended the EU Education, Youth, Culture and Sport Council meeting.
The key sporting elements of that meeting included the approval of the Council Conclusions on sport tourism as a contributor to sustainable development. This document outlines the need to ensure that there is a balance between sport tourism activities and social and environmental responsibilities.
There was also an exchange of views on the importance of mental health for athletes and coaches, discussions regarding the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes in international sports competitions, the risk of brain injuries in sport and the social return on investment of sport.
During the Culture agenda at the meeting, the Council approved a partial general approach (PGA) of the AgoraEU programme for the period 2028-2034. This PGA sets out the shared Council positions on the Commission’s proposal for AgoraEU, a new funding programme for culture, media and civil society which will replace and merge the previous Creative Europe and Citizens, Education, Culture and rights programme.
The Department is closely engaged with negotiations on the proposal for a Regulation establishing the AgoraEU programme 2028-2034. An ad-hoc inter-Departmental working group was established, which has supported the development of positions on the programme. This PGA will now be the basis for all future negotiations by the Council on AgoraEU.
The focus of the policy debate among Ministers was the next EU Work Plan for Culture 2027 – 2030. EU Culture Ministers set out their priorities for the next Work Plan, which Ireland will be required to bring to the Council during our upcoming Presidency of the Council of the European Union.
