994. Deputy Peter 'Chap' Cleere asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport to outline Ireland's plans for the EU Presidency, from a sporting perspective; the role the promotion of traditional games will play; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42858/26]

Ireland will assume the Presidency of the Council of the European Union in July 2026. The overall policy priorities for the Irish Presidency of the Council of the European Union are being finalised and a detailed Presidency policy programme across all Council configurations will be set out in the coming weeks.

The EU Work Plan for Sport is the EU equivalent of the National Sports Policy. In the current plan, which runs from 2024-2027, Ireland had indicated that it would be interested in dealing with Traditional Sports and Games (TSGs).

Our theme is: “Traditional sports highlight sport’s role as part of Europe’s culture, history and traditions, as well as supporting social cohesion, integration, volunteering, and active citizenship”. During our Presidency, Ireland will seek to highlight traditional sports and games role as part of Europe’s culture, history and traditions.

It is expected that this focus will resonate with the Gaelic games family, as well as other traditional sports in Ireland and across Europe.

Last summer, the Department of Sport distributed a survey to members states about sports and games in their countries. We had 17 responses, highlighting over 76 traditional sports and games. The data showed an extraordinary variety in the TSGs across the continent.

They range from field sports to court sports to athletic activities. Some are regionally popular and others, like GAA, are nationally or internationally popular. Both winter and summer sports were highlighted.

Several countries indicated that their TSGs have been granted a form of cultural recognition. Some sports - such as Gaelic Football or Belgium's handball game, Balle Pelote - are in the process of seeking recognition on the UNESCO list.

TSGs are living and evolving sporting practices that are engrained in a region’s cultural identity. Their availability to younger generations is essential for their sustainability as sporting practices.

One of my key goals as Minister of State for Sport is to see an increase in participation levels in sport. Like the GAA, traditional sports and games are grassroots and community-based organisations that play an important role in promoting lifelong physical activity.

I recently met with my French counterpart in Brussels at an EU Council Meeting, to discuss the recognition of GAA in France, where the sport has gone from strength to strength.

Today there are over 1,300 players across 33 clubs. Some 90% of the players are French, meaning the sport is rooted in local communities. More than a quarter of members are female, higher than in many other outdoor team sports in France.

The French GAA Federation is currently seeking official recognition as a sporting body. This would allow easier access for clubs to training pitches and to local government funding, issues which many clubs currently struggle with. I hope during our Presidency we can help secure this recognition as it would be a major step in the development of Gaelic Games in France.

We will also host a meeting of senior European policy makers and a Presidency Conference on Traditional Sports and Games with both taking place in Croke Park.As the Presidency, we also have the honour of hosting the launch of the European Week of Sport in September, a weeklong, continent-wide annual festival of sport.