Thank you, Presiding Officer. As Members will be aware, this week sees the start of the fifteenth UEFA European Championship in France and I am delighted that this year, Wales will be one of the nations taking part in the newly expanded 24-team tournament. On behalf of the Welsh Government and this Assembly, can I begin by congratulating the Welsh team on what has been a hugely successful qualification campaign and also wish them all the very best for the coming tournament?

This is, of course, the first major championship finals that Wales has competed in since 1958. Many of us will recall quite vividly the painful series of disappointments that the team has experienced over the years and so it is with great pleasure, and indeed pride, that we have seen the team make this year’s tournament. Under the direction of Chris Coleman, the squad has shown great resolve, determination and teamwork and it’s only right to place on record our recognition of the leadership his coaching team and the FAW have shown over the last couple of years. The achievement of qualification is a fitting tribute to Gary Speed, who helped lay many foundations of the team’s current success and who was respected and admired by so many people across Wales.

The first Wales match against Slovakia will kick off at 6 p.m. UK time on Saturday 11 June in Bordeaux, with further group games being played against England in Lens at 2 p.m. on Thursday 16 June, and the final group game against Russia, beginning at 8 p.m. on Monday 20 June in Toulouse. The European championship is one of the world’s highest profile sporting events. In total, in Euro 2012 there was an aggregated TV audience of 1.9 billion and the global profile Wales will achieve in the coming weeks is something the Welsh Government is keen to maximise.

Alongside the other countries competing in Euro 2016, Wales will be represented at a European Village in Paris, organised by the city mayor’s office. The Welsh Government has been working closely with them and with the British Embassy, but in light of the recent flooding in the city the opening of the village has sadly been delayed, due to its location on the banks of the river Seine. Our thoughts are with those in Paris who have worked hard to prepare the European Village on time. When the village does open, the Welsh Government-funded stand will showcase some of our country’s diverse and exciting tourist destinations and adventure hotspots, celebrating our Year of Adventure and providing a distinctive presence for Wales in the centre of the French capital and alongside other nations.

The Wales team media centre is located at the team’s base in Brittany—an appropriate location given the long-standing relationship between Wales and Brittany. Adverts about Wales in several languages will be displayed during the tournament, and information about Wales will be provided to the estimated 300-plus international media who will be covering Wales’s journey in the tournament. Visit Wales has also arranged for promotional videos to be shown on the screens at the special fanzones in Toulouse and Bordeaux, which are expected to attract fans from across Europe. Closer to home, iconic Welsh buildings, including Cadw castles, will be illuminated in red to support the team during group games.

The demand for tickets alone is testimony to how much the whole country is intending to be part of the championships. Around 30,000 Welsh fans are expected to travel to France. The FAW have been clear that the fans have played a huge part in this success and they will, I am sure, add passion to the tournament. Wales play group games against Slovakia in Bordeaux and Russia in Toulouse—sizable cities with plenty to keep fans entertained. However, the Wales versus England match is being played in Lens, a significantly smaller town. Now, whilst I’m sure the inhabitants of Lens will be as welcoming to fans as anywhere else in France, outside of the stadium there are very few places available to watch the game. I fully endorse the messages given to the Welsh fans by the police that they should not travel to Lens if they do not have match tickets.

We are all aware of the current security environment, both in the UK and in France. Fans need to leave plenty of time to travel to games as there will be enhanced security. They should report anything suspicious to the police. The strong advice is to take note of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office travel advice, which will be updated on its website throughout the tournament. The police have also advised that fans need to pre-book accommodation and look after their passports, and have emphasised that fans are acting as ambassadors for our country. I fully support this last point. I hope that Welsh fans will travel to France to enjoy themselves, to make friends and to leave a lasting positive impression of Wales with the people they meet.

This is a fantastic time to be a Welsh football fan and an exciting time to be Cabinet Secretary with responsibility for major events. There is a real feeling that qualification is only the beginning for this talented group of players. I, for one, cannot wait to see the team run out onto the pitch in Bordeaux and represent Wales on the world stage. The team, the players and all of the fans have certainly embraced the ‘Together Stronger’ theme, and I know we all take great pride in the success of that team. The whole nation is behind them.