RTÉ outlines two possible paths for Ireland's return to Eurovision

Ireland's national broadcaster RTÉ has shed more light on what would need to change before the country considers returning to the Eurovision Song Contest.

RTÉ Director-General Kevin Bakhurst discussed Ireland's future in the competition during an interview on the broadcaster's Behind the Story podcast, with his comments highlighted by the Éirevision Podcast.

Ireland has already confirmed it will not participate in Eurovision 2027 in Bulgaria, but Kevin has now outlined two possible routes back to the Contest.

"I don't think it's going to be easy to go back until there's a very significant change on the ground, or until Israel is not in the Eurovision," he said.

Kevin also revealed he had been speaking with other European broadcasters that withdrew from Eurovision 2026, some of which could remain absent next year.

"I've spoken to a lot of our European counterparts on that and obviously there's four or five other countries who took the same decision and may take the same decision for next year."

He explained that RTÉ's decision had been relatively straightforward because of public opinion in Ireland, while other broadcasters faced a more divided audience.

"You know, the decision is harder for some countries because the public opinion is much more divided."

Israel's exclusion from Eurovision 'impossible'

While Israel's absence was one of the two possibilities Kevin raised, he was doubtful the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) could make that decision.

"There are enough significant members in the EBU that it's impossible for the EBU to make that decision, in my view."

He pointed to four major Eurovision nations that he said were opposed to Israel's exclusion.

"You look at the UK, Germany, France very publicly on the record, Austria, on the record, saying they absolutely do not want Israel excluded."

"So I don't think it's really possible for the EBU to make that decision."

Despite the disagreement over Israel's participation, Kevin stressed that RTÉ maintained a positive relationship with the EBU.

"We still have extremely good relations with the EBU."

"We took our own decision. We did it in an open way with the EBU. They've got their own decision to take and I can see why they had to."

Ireland's Eurovision absence

Ireland was one of five countries to withdraw from Eurovision 2026 in Vienna over Israel's participation, alongside Iceland, the Netherlands, Slovenia and Spain.

In September, RTÉ confirmed it would also miss Eurovision 2027 and would not broadcast the Contest, citing the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

Kevin defended the decision to announce Ireland's withdrawal early, pointing to the situation in the region and public sentiment at home.

"I think it would have been very, very difficult to take part next year and that's why we took the decision early, given the ongoing conditions in Gaza and the West Bank and other parts of the region and given where the Irish audience is."

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