Minister O’Donovan to undertake Cultural, Sporting and Digital Programme in Paris
- Published on: 4 February 2026
- Last updated on: 4 February 2026
The Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport, Patrick O’Donovan TD, will travel to Paris from 4-6 February for a series of cultural, heritage and policy engagements. The visit will include high‑level bilateral meetings, site visits to significant cultural landmarks, and participation in an event celebrating longstanding Franco-Irish sporting and cultural ties.
Speaking ahead of the visit, Minister O’Donovan said:
“Ireland and France share a deep cultural connection, built on centuries of exchange in arts, heritage, education and sport. This visit is an opportunity to strengthen that partnership, from shared approaches to cultural preservation, to engagement on online safety and the responsible use of emerging technologies. I look forward to meeting French counterparts, engaging with the Centre Culturel Irlandais, and celebrating the rich links that bind our two countries.”
On Wednesday evening, the Minister will attend a reception at the Embassy of Ireland in Paris, hosted in partnership with the IRFU and the Fédération Française de Rugby (FFR). The event will celebrate over a century of friendly rugby rivalry between Ireland and France. Images from the Centre Culturel Irlandais’ 2023 Rugby World Cup exhibition, marking 120 years of rugby relations, will be projected inside the Embassy, and the new France-Ireland Solidarity/Solidarité Trophy will be unveiled. Conceived jointly by members of both national rugby unions, the trophy symbolises the unique Franco‑Irish relationship, characterised by strong partnership off the field and spirited competition on it.
On Thursday, the Minister will visit Notre Dame, where he will receive a briefing on restoration progress. This will be followed by engagements at the Centre Culturel Irlandais, including a meeting with Mr Philippe Jost, President of Rebâtir Notre Dame, a tour of the Irish Cultural Centre, and lunch with the Fondation Irlandaise. Later in the day, the Minister will hold bilateral meetings with Ms Rachida Dati, French Minister of Culture, and Ms Anne Le Hénanff, Minister Delegate responsible for Artificial Intelligence and Digital Technology, to discuss online safety, in particular protecting children online, the responsible use of emerging digital technologies, as well as Ireland’s priorities under the Presidency of the Council of the EU.
On Friday, Minister O’Donovan will visit the Basilica of Saint‑Denis, one of France’s most significant historic sites and a major landmark in the story of European cultural heritage, before returning to Ireland later that day.