Ministers host the Launch of the European Week of Sport

Today (23rd September 2026), Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport Patrick O’Donovan TD and Minister of State with responsibility for Sport and Postal Policy, Charlie McConalogue TD, have hosted the launch of the European Week of Sport at the Sport Ireland Campus. This official opening ceremony at the National Indoor Arena was held in cooperation with the European Commission and Sport Ireland.

The ceremony included contributions from Minister O’Donovan, Minister of State

McConalogue, Sport Ireland CEO Dr. Úna May, Director for Culture, Creativity and Sport at the European Commission Georg Häusler as well as a video message from Glenn Micallef, European Commissioner for Intergenerational Fairness, Youth, Culture and Sport.

The event welcomed more than 100 attendees, including 70 European delegates representing 24 countries and a range of leading European and international sports organisations. It included representatives from the European Commission, UEFA, FIFA, the European Olympic Committees (EOC) EU Office, the European Paralympic Committee, EUSA, European Aquatics, ENGSO, EuropeActive and Special Olympics Europe Eurasia, alongside representatives from the Irish sport sector.

Delegates took part in sport activations on the Campus and viewed public activities involving local school groups, older adults and high-performance athletes from Badminton Ireland.

Minister O’Donovan said:

Physical activity is an important part of a healthy and happy lifestyle. The European Week of Sport is a chance for people to try new things and learn about all the opportunities that are out there in sports for them. I hope many people will engage with the events that are taking place all across Ireland and indeed Europe this year during our Presidency.

Minister McConalgoue said:

Launching this event on the Sport Ireland Campus is a chance to showcase the wonderful facilities we have been building here. This campus is open for everyone. I hope the events taking place today and over the course of the week give more people a chance to experience it.

Director Häusler said:

The European Week of Sport is our showcase event for the #BeActive initiative and brings together people in 40 countries across Europe to engage in sport, try out new opportunities, and prove that everyone can #BeActive in their own way. We are delighted to celebrate this occasion in Dublin during Ireland’s EU Presidency.