Any consideration of recent and proposed developments in education and training at European Union (EU) level points, in a word, to "Lisbon". "Lisbon", as in the "Lisbon Agenda", is the destination, the compass and the journey driving developments in education and training systems in the EU member states. This paper sketches some of these developments and sets out their implications for adult education stakeholders in Ireland from now until 2010. "Adult education" is understood as publicly-funded provision for adult learning in statutory and other agencies, outside of the statutory training sector. Adult education "stakeholders" are understood to include policy makers, practitioners, participants, theorists and commentators.