Minister of State McConalogue represents Ireland at meeting of EU Culture and Media Ministers

Donegal Minister of State, Charlie McConalogue, is representing Ireland at the informal meeting of EU Ministers for Culture and Media, in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Today, the Minister of State for Sport and Postal Policy participated, on behalf of Government, in a family photo of signatories to the ‘Declaration on the necessity of culture and media as a safeguard for our European democracies’.

Speaking about the declaration, Minister of State McConalogue said: “Political declarations such as this, which has signatories across many member states, are vital to reinforcing our shared European values. In particular, this declaration signals the crucial role of culture and independent pluralistic media in safeguarding our democratic futures.

“I thank the Danish Presidency and my European colleagues for highlighting this through the declaration published today and, for recognising the importance of culture, cultural heritage and access to reliable and trustworthy information in this regard.”

This afternoon, the Minister of State will participate in working sessions to explore how we safeguard reliable information, as well as discuss the future of European audiovisual content.

Speaking in advance of the working sessions, Minister of State McConalogue highlighted the need for effective funding support in the European audiovisual and editorially controlled news media industries.

“Quite clearly, there are significant challenges facing these industries and their underpinning business models, particularly in this digital age and given the stiff international competition for audiences. It is therefore crucial that we continue to support the production and distribution of European content, including at local and regional levels,” he added.

On Monday, discussions focused on the recovery and protection of Ukraine’s culture. The Donegal Minister of State advised that Ireland remains in full solidarity with Ukraine and welcomed these discussions, noting our continued commitment to exploring pathways to safeguarding and protecting Ukrainian cultural heritage and artefacts.