Statement by Kieran Mulvey, Chairman of the Irish Sport Council, at the RTE / Irish Sports Awards

Tonight is a night of celebration. In Ireland, and in sport in particular, we can be very critical of ourselves. These awards allow us an opportunity to relax and reflect positively on a tremendous year for Ireland in the world of sport.

2010 saw remarkable performances at the highest levels of international competition. Following on from the exceptional performances of 2009 and 2010, Irish athletes continued to excel at championship level.

In sports supported by the Irish Sports Council in 2010, Ireland won 30 medals at World and European level. The medals were won in 8 sports; 15 by men & 15 by women; 18 by seniors & 12 by juniors. The range of sports involved is hugely significant as it demonstrates the depth and breadth of talent in Ireland.

The High Performance Unit of the Council measures our investments and benchmark performances against the same years in the high performance cycle; in 2002 Ireland won 10 medals and in 2006 Ireland won 9 medals.

The Council, led by Chief Executive John Treacy, has direct relationships with the athletes and the sports; providing them with funding and a range of services to support the implementation of their High Performance Plans.

The Institute of Sport delivers technical services to the sports. The recent additional Sports Capital Grant from the Department of Sport of €600,000 to us to fund and equip the Institute of Sport at Abbotstown is very significant. The Institute will create a science and medical unit which will supply our athletes with valuable access to multi-disciplinary support and expertise.

The High Performance Committee of the Council, chaired by Eamon Coghlan, oversees the programmes and investment in elite sport. Eamon leads a very talented group from all the major agencies and they do an excellent job on behalf of Irish sport.

I announced last week that all elite athletes can rest assured that the Council will protect their funding in 2011. It is essential to provide security to those athletes who represent Ireland at the highest level of competition and bring so much pride to the country.

The Council works with the media to ensure that these performances are covered extensively and that the wider public can enjoy and share the success. RTE Sport has covered the major events across all platforms, and tonight's production is another element of their commitment to Irish sport.

Sporting performances lift the mood of the nation especially in these difficult times. The efforts of our successful sportsmen and women helped the Council build the case to the Government to keep investing in sport.

The Minister and her officials at the Department have ensured that the Council have substantial budget for our work in 2011. It was an effort much appreciated by the wider community of sport and admired by others who did not fare so well.

Ireland's sportspeople can always be relied on to give of their best. Over the past few years this has resulted in historic achievements and a notable haul of medals won and records set. 2010 was an exceptional year and it has given us a lot to look forward to in 2011.