RTÉ’s Eurovision boycott of Israel comes amid a financial crisis, following a scandal over secret payments and a wider debate in Ireland
The decision by Ireland’s national broadcaster RTÉ to boycott Eurovision 2027 because of Israel’s participation has made waves across Europe and beyond. Ireland has sought to position itself as a champion of human rights, but questions remain over the motives behind the decision. This commentary argues that the boycott cannot be viewed separately from the financial problems that have plagued Irish public broadcasting in recent years, including a major scandal involving the broadcaster’s management.
Human Rights Champions – or a Broadcaster Short of Money?
Ireland withdrew from Eurovision 2026 amid strong opposition to Israel’s participation, and continued that approach for 2027. In August, RTÉ announced that Ireland would boycott the contest for a second consecutive year because Israel would take part. At the time of the announcement, Ireland was the only country to have decided to take this step.
However, a closer look at Ireland’s Eurovision participation in previous years suggests that the problems at RTÉ predated the boycott. Makeshift Eurovision stages in late-night television studios, basic and inexpensive sets, and what the article describes as a general lack of investment in the contest were among the visible symptoms. In recent years, RTÉ has faced an unprecedented crisis of public and political confidence, alongside severe financial turmoil.
In 2023, it emerged that RTÉ management had made secret, undisclosed payments to Ryan Tubridy, one of Ireland’s best-known television presenters and a former host of the country’s national Eurovision selection programme. The discovery of side accounts and concealed payments sparked widespread public anger. One consequence was what could be described as a quiet public boycott: tens, if not hundreds, of thousands of households reportedly refused to continue paying the television licence fee. Within just a few months, RTÉ’s licence-fee income fell by tens of millions of euros, pushing the organisation to the brink of bankruptcy.
To prevent the broadcaster from collapsing, the Irish government proposed a three-year support package worth €725 million. The proposal was accompanied by commitments from RTÉ to make substantial spending cuts, including staff redundancies, asset sales and greater oversight by Ireland’s Comptroller and Auditor General.
Against this background, Eurovision participation had become a financial burden for RTÉ. The argument presented in this commentary is that the broadcaster was looking for a way to withdraw without having to abandon the contest in a humiliating admission that it could no longer afford to take part – particularly given Ireland’s status as one of Eurovision’s most successful countries. Then Israel became the central issue.
Anti-Israel sentiment in Ireland is among the strongest in Europe, the article argues. When calls for a Eurovision boycott emerged, Ireland was among the first to embrace the initiative, without hesitation about staying away from the contest again the following year. In contrast to other countries that considered or announced withdrawals, Israel offered RTÉ what this commentary describes as a convenient justification: an opportunity to save money without appearing to be giving up the event because of financial hardship. Instead, the broadcaster could present the decision as a stand for human rights and concern for the humanitarian situation of Palestinians in Gaza.
Ireland and Israel at Eurovision
Ireland is known for having particularly tense relations with Israel in the Eurovision context. One of the clearest examples is singer Bambie Thug, who represented Ireland at Eurovision 2024 with the song “Doomsday Blue” and finished in 6th place with 278 points, one position behind Israel, which finished 5th.
Bambie continued to provoke controversy involving Israel throughout the contest and afterward. During Eurovision 2024, the singer openly expressed support for Palestinians, including by displaying writing in the Irish language on their face calling for a “ceasefire”, wearing a Palestinian keffiyeh, and displaying watermelon-shaped cushions in the Green Room during the voting. These actions contributed to the controversy surrounding Israel’s participation in Eurovision.
Since Ireland withdrew from the contest, numerous voices from the country have expressed support for the decision and criticized Israel. Johnny Logan, the legendary Eurovision winner and one of the most prominent figures in the contest’s history, revealed that he had refused no fewer than four invitations to appear as a guest at this year’s contest because of his opposition to Israel’s participation. Eurovision 1994 winner Charlie McGettigan said he agreed with Logan, strongly criticizing the European Broadcasting Union and even deciding to return his Eurovision trophy as a protest against Israel’s participation.
On the other hand, Dana Rosemary Scallon, Ireland’s first Eurovision winner, who won Eurovision 1970 with the song “All Kinds of Everything”, shared that she believes Eurovision should remain free of politics and that “she hopes music can be a space where people can come together.” She also implicitly criticized the countries that chose to withdraw from Eurovision 2026 because of Israel’s participation.
Ireland in Eurovision 2025
“Laika Party” is the name of the song performed by singer EMMY, who represented Ireland in the second semi-final of Eurovision 2025 held in Basel, Switzerland. Ireland failed to qualify for the Grand Final, finishing 13th out of 16 with just 28 points.
Over the past five years, Ireland has reached the Grand Final only once.
Eurovision 2025: This was Ireland’s 58th participation in the contest. The country joined Eurovision in 1965 and is tied with Sweden for the most wins, with seven victories. Ireland’s most recent win came in 1996 with the song “The Voice”, performed by singer Eimear Quinn.
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Ofek Jerassi is an Israeli reporter, editor, content creator, and commentator, specializing in the Eurovision Song Contest. He has developed his extensive expertise since childhood, becoming a close follower of the contest. For the past three years, he has served as a writer and editor for EuroMix—Israel’s largest Eurovision website and one of the world’s leading platforms in the field, with over 1.5 million users annually.
Ofek covered Eurovision 2025 on-site in Basel from the press center in the host city, providing EuroMix readers with firsthand experiences, professional analysis, and exclusive reactions from the audience, artists, and experts. His in-depth knowledge and broad familiarity with the Eurovision world are evident in every article, ensuring reliable, professional, and up-to-date content.
In his personal life, Ofek is a medic and avid traveler. He writes out of a genuine love for Eurovision, placing strong emphasis on credibility, professional commentary, and presenting a diverse range of opinions.
