IRISH SPORTS COUNCIL Minister Brennan Announces Details of Irish Sports Council Budget for 2008
Minister Brennan Announces Details of Irish Sports Council Budget for 2008
- €11.91 million in core grants to national governing bodies allocated
- €1.57 million in Women in Sport grants announced
The wide range of Irish sports, from angling to volleyball, gathered in Dublin today to hear the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism, Mr Seamus Brennan T.D. announce €13.5 million in funding for governing bodies for 2008.
At a special reception in Dublin for representatives of sports bodies the Minister announced a total of €11.91 million for fifty seven (57) governing bodies for the core grant. This is an increase of 4.5 % on the 2007 core figure of €11.4 million.
Additional Exchequer funding was made available to the Council late in 2007 which resulted in a number of governing bodies benefiting from an additional €1.329 in investment for specific programmes for last year..
The core activities of governing bodies covered by the grants include administration of the sports, the employment of professional staff, coach development, hosting events and programmes aimed at increasing participation.
In addition, twenty five (25) sports were allocated grants totalling €1.57 million under the 2008 Women in Sport Programme, a specific initiative aimed at increasing the participation of women. The programme commenced in 2005 will have a total budget in 2008 of €2.8 million. It has proved extremely successful with the sports bodies that have rolled out a number of innovative programmes to attract women of all ages into sport.
Minister Brennan, addressing the representatives of all the sports bodies, commented: “This financial support demonstrates our commitment to the governing bodies of sport. They remain the key component of the Irish sports infrastructure. The focus of many is in the level of participation in sport and I welcome the emphasis on key target groups including young people, women, people with a disability, and in areas of disadvantage.”
Ossie Kilkenny, Chairman of the Irish Sports Council, addressed the gathering and set out the Council’s spending plans for the year ahead. The Council has a budget of €57 million for 2008, as announced in Budget 2008 last December; “Our investment strategy for the year is focused on the two key strategic areas, increasing participation and high performance. The governing bodies remain central to delivering on both objectives, directly receiving approximately 60% of our budget this year.”
For 2008 the Women in Sport grants were included in the annual application form and are announced at the same time as the core grant. This programme is part of a total investment of €20 million in participation initiatives by the Council in 2008, including Local Sports Partnerships and the programmes of the GAA, FAI and IRFU.
Direct supports to sports organisations will increase from €11.91 million to €16 million when funding for Horse Sport Ireland, the NCTC, the Federation of Irish Sports, the Olympic Council of Ireland, and the Paralympic Council of Ireland is finalised. High performance investment, to be announced next month, will be approximately €8 million and Council programmes (including anti-doping, research, Sport HQ, marketing & the National Trails Office) will be €3 million. The Council budget for 2008 also includes the €3.5 million set aside for Grants to Intercounty GAA Players.
Further information from
- Paul McDermott Irish Sports Council 087-6486295
- Declan Lee OHC 01-6602744
Some Highlights for 2008
Women in Sport
Irish Gymnastics was allocated €50,000 to develop a new FUNdamentals based coaching course designed to slot in under ‘Introductory’ level – this course will be called ‘IG Springboard’.
Camogie (Cumann Camَgaichta na nGael) received €22,000 to support a schools co-ordinator to further roll out the successful Spَrt agus Spraoi le Colلistي programme.
The Irish Amateur Boxing Association was allocated €50,000 to continue to support programmes to increase female participation in boxing, to provide information about the sport and to train more female coaches.
Irish Ladies Golf Union received €80,000 to expand the participation and coaching programme that was rolled out successfully in 2007 to add 10 more clubs to the programme.
The Mountaineering Council of Ireland received €30,000 to expand the Girls Outside programme to three new areas.
Special Olympics Ireland received €59,000 to continue to grow the Women’s football, the Rhythmic Gymnastics, and the Women’s Badminton programmes.
Triathlon Ireland received €50,000 to roll out women’s come and try weekends as well as coaching supports for women interested in developing their interest in the sport further.
Swim Ireland received €130,000 funding to support human resource positions to roll out their women’s programme in all areas of aquatics from the very young to older participants.
NGB Core Funding
The National Coaching Development Programme has been prioritised in many organisations with full support being given towards the delivery of the programme agreed with NCTC for 2008.
Cycling Ireland received a contribution of €25,000 towards a staff member to assist in the delivery of its coaching programme.
Irish Amateur Rowing Union received €35,000 for the appointment of a coaching resource to roll out the Coaching Programme.
Irish Cricket Union received contributions towards salaries of full time administrators, Cricket Development Officers as well as the National Coach. It also received €53,000 to support Senior, Women and Junior Indoor camps.
Swim Ireland received €117,000 to fund the roll out of it teacher/ coach education programme where planning has now been completed.
Badminton Ireland received a €38,000 contribution towards schools, Code of Ethics and Disability Programmes.
Canoeing Union and Mountaineering Council of Ireland, through the Adventure Training Programme support, in conjunction with NCTC, have received support for Instructor Development Officers.
The ISA (the Irish Sailing Association) received €30,000 to support the appointment of a Motorboat Development Officer to address training and safety in this rapidly growing area.
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National Governing Bodies and Women in Sport Allocation 2008