Ireland will not take part in the 2027 Eurovision Song Contest in Bulgaria, broadcaster RTÉ has announced.
Network bosses also confirmed RTÉ will not broadcast the contest, stating involvement "cannot be justified given the appalling and ongoing loss of lives in Gaza and the humanitarian crisis".
Ireland, who have won Eurovision seven times, also sat out the 2026 competition – when Israel participated and finished second behind Bulgaria.
A statement read: "RTÉ is today confirming that its position regarding participation in the Eurovision Song Contest remains unchanged.
"RTÉ will not participate in the 2027 Eurovision Song Contest, nor will RTÉ broadcast the competition.
"RTÉ feels that Ireland’s participation cannot be justified given the appalling and ongoing loss of lives in Gaza and the humanitarian crisis there which continues to put the lives of so many civilians at risk.
"RTÉ also remains deeply concerned by the continued denial of independent access to international journalists to the territory."
Martin Green, director of the Eurovision Song Contest, stated: "We regret that RTÉ will not be participating in the Eurovision Song Contest in 2027, but we fully respect their decision and recognise the huge contribution they have made to the contest. They remain a valued part of our family and will be missed.
"The Eurovision Song Contest is at its best when broadcasters and their artists from different countries come together to share music, celebrate creativity and create connections between audiences.
"That power to bring people together is at the heart of what makes the contest so special, and is even more important now in an increasingly difficult and divided world.
"All broadcasters decide on an annual basis to participate in the following year’s contest. We will remain in dialogue with RTÉ and hope to welcome them back to the Contest in the future."
Ireland’s decision to boycott next year’s contest comes after Eurovision organisers announced a rule change in August that will prevent countries at war from hosting the event moving forwards.
This announcement followed calls from several countries, including Ireland, Spain, the Netherlands and Slovenia, for Israel to be excluded from Eurovision due to the war in Gaza.
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