Excerpt from Minister for Finance Jack Chambers on Budget 2025 – Sports and philanthrophy
Making good on the commitment in last year’s Budget speech, I will also be bringing forward measures to support national sporting bodies in planning and investing for the future.
Changes will be made to the tax exemptions that apply to those bodies to facilitate long term investments for the purposes of future capital projects, sport equipment needs, to support Ireland’s high-performance athletes, and sports participation.
Furthermore, I will be bringing forward measures in the Finance Bill to allow those making donations to sports bodies, for capital projects, and the other objectives, greater flexibility on how those donations will be treated for Income Tax purposes. It is my intention that both PAYE and self-assessed donors will be able to choose for the income tax relief on donations under the relevant tax provisions to go either to themselves or to the sporting body itself. I believe that this will provide an additional incentive for taxpayers to provide direct support to their local and national clubs and bodies.
I strongly believe that physical activity is an essential part of supporting the health and mental well-being of all our citizens, young and old. As such, I believe there is merit in examining how the tax system can help to achieve greater participation in sport and fitness activities, including through gyms for example. Over the course of next year, my officials will continue this work with the view of developing proposals for consideration in advance of next year’s Budget.
Excerpt from Minister for Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform, Pascal Donohoe on Budget 2025
Culture and society
Ceann Comhairle, I believe that Ireland holds a unique position in the world, where our culture, ár dteanga and our artists are the beating heart of our society. There are record numbers visiting our national cultural institutions. Irish writers are some of the best in the world – giving us pause to reflect on the world around us, to make sense of it or, indeed, to escape it entirely for a moment.
In 2025, I am allocating:
- almost three hundred and eighty million euro to Arts and Culture
- one hundred and seven million euro to the Gaeltacht, which will provide a wide variety of supports to our Irish speaking communities in the Gaeltacht and beyond
- two hundred and twenty-six million euro to Tourism
- three hundred and twenty-eight million in funding to Media, including six million euro for the independent broadcasting sector
- two hundred and thirty-one million euro in funding to Sports, which will benefit clubs and organisations in every corner of the country