Aidan Farrelly (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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151. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if he will provide an update in respect of the Programme for Government to promote an all-island approach to hosting major international sporting events, building on the major international events policy, including supporting the hosting of the 2027 Ryder Cup, Euro 2028, the T20 Cricket World Cup 2030, the Open Championship and bidding for major competitions. [13482/25]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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Major international sporting events can play a key role in increasing sporting participation, boosting domestic and international tourism and promoting Ireland as a destination for education and business opportunities. They present a wonderful opportunity to showcase the island of Ireland and our world-class tourism and sports offering to Europe and the world.

The Government remains committed to supporting the hosting of major sports events in Ireland and continues to explore further hosting opportunities, particularly on an all-island basis. This commitment is reflected in the Government’s support for events such as:

• the first-ever National Football League (NFL) regular season game, to be held at Croke Park this autumn, will feature the Pittsburgh Steelers, whose ownership – the Rooney family - has strong connections to Ireland. Their long-standing ties, both north and south, present a unique opportunity for engagement and further reinforce the Government’s all-island approach to hosting major sporting events.
• Ireland has been chosen to host the Ryder Cup in 2027 at Adare Manor in County Limerick. When Ireland last hosted the Ryder Cup in 2006, the event was worth €143 million to the Irish economy. On the basis of an Economic Impact Assessment undertaken in 2019, the Department is confident that the 2027 Ryder Cup will be worth well in excess of that.
• the co-hosting of the UEFA EURO 2028 football championship with the UK. Northern Ireland continues to be involved in preparations and the entire partnership in this project remain committed to maintaining Northern Ireland’s continued involvement.
• the proposed co-hosting of the 2030 T20 Cricket World Cup with the UK. Cricket in Ireland is organised on an all-island basis. The Department continues to work closely with the Cricket Associations and the ICC, particularly Cricket Ireland which operates on an all-island basis, to establish a partnership and structure to deliver a wonderful tournament across the UK and Ireland in 2030.
• the US College Football Classic series, running annually since 2022, with this year’s fixture featuring Kansas State and Iowa State Universities; previous editions have had strong all-island tourism benefits with attendees visiting every corner of the country before and after the games.
• In October 2024, the Government provisionally agreed to support the hosting of The Open and the AIG Women’s Open at Portmarnock Golf Club, subject to further conditions being met. This is a significant step towards the potential hosting of these major sports events in Portmarnock Golf Club. This Department will continue to engage with Portmarnock Golf Club and The R&A to further explore the costs of hosting and to prepare a full business case for the events, in line with the Department’s recently published Major International Sports Events Policy.
  
  The 2024 government policy and strategy framework for the hosting of Major International Sporting Events is the first of its kind in Ireland and fulfils a commitment under the previous Programme for Government. The policy provides a framework in relation to how Government should support major international sporting events, the benefits it should seek to derive from such events, the supports it could offer and the kind of events it would prioritise.
  
  This framework and its further development will guide future bid activity and ensure Ireland remains competitive and strategic in pursuing these opportunities. The promotion of an all-island approach to hosting major international sporting events will be an important consideration in the context of the further development of the strategy framework.