Liam Harbison appointed as Director of Sport Ireland Institute

Sport Ireland today confirmed the appointment of Liam Harbison as the new Director of the Sport Ireland Institute.

Harbison will leave his current position as Chief Executive of Paralympics Ireland to take up the position in early February, and will be tasked with ensuring Ireland’s top athletes receive best supports available, as well as leading the ongoing development of a world class culture within the Sport Ireland Institute.

Harbison has a proven track record in the area of high performance sport, having served as Parlaympics Ireland’s Performance Director before taking up the role of Chief Executive in 2008. Harbison also served as Team Ireland’s Chef de Mission for the highly successful 2012 Paralympic Games in London.

Sport Ireland Chairman, Kieran Mulvey, welcomed Harbison’s appointment saying: “I am delighted with the appointment of Liam Harbison to position of Director of the Sport Ireland Institute. Through his impressive work with Paralympics Ireland, Liam has clearly shown that he has the attributes to continue the great work of the Institute in providing world class supports to Ireland’s leading athletes. This is an exciting time for the Institute on the back of the opening of the new High Performance Training Centre earlier this year and as we enter into a new Olympic and Paralympic cycle. On behalf of Sport Ireland, I would like to welcome Liam and wish him the very best in the new role.”

Throughout his time with Paralympics Ireland, Liam has led the transformation of Paralympic Sport in Ireland resulting in the highly significant and measurable improvement in athlete performance at Paralympic Games. At the recent Rio Games, Team Ireland returned with 11 medals surpassing the pre-Games target of 8 medals.

John Treacy, Sport Ireland Chief Executive, added: “Liam joins Sport Ireland with a vast amount of knowledge and experience in high performance sport. Since joining Paralympics Ireland, Liam has been responsible for the planning and implementation of high performance programmes along with overseeing organisational change which has seen Paralympics Ireland become one of Ireland’s most eminent sporting bodies. Liam will work closely with Sport Ireland’s High Performance Unit in ensuring Irish athletes are afforded the best possible supports in order to succeed at the highest level and I look forward to Liam taking up the reins in the New Year.”

Commenting on his appointment, Liam Harbison said: “While sorry to be leaving the Paralympic movement after 14 great years and the many great people I've had the privilege of working with and for, I'm excited by the new opportunity and challenge of directing the Sport Ireland Institute. I look forward to working with the Sport Ireland Institute and the National Governing Bodies to continue the great work in world class service delivery to Ireland's athletes through to Tokyo 2020.”