Federation of Irish Sport launches new Sport Insurance Scheme

Dec 6, 2012

The Federation launched the new Sport Insurance Scheme on 5^th December with a group of over 30 sporting bodies attending a reception at the Merrion Hotel in Dublin.

The new group insurance scheme has been specifically designed for National Governing Bodies, sports clubs and individuals and follows an extensive tender process undertaken by the Federation on behalf of our members.

The scheme is intended to ensure that our members get a good deal on insurance and we hope this will allow NGBs to concentrate on what really matters – the continued development of their sport.

BHP Insurances Ltd has been appointed as brokers to the scheme and they have been brokering community group schemes since 1998. Together with IPB Insurance, the underwriters of the scheme, they will ensure that should the need arise, members will receive the back up of a fast efficient and experienced claims service.

FIND OUT HOW THIS SCHEME COULD HELP YOU

All Island Sport and Physical Activity Research Body Convenes in Armagh

Dec 6, 2012

The Federation attended the inaugural meeting of the All Island Sport and Physical Activity Pedagogy Partnership (AI-SPAPP) in Armagh on the 8&9^thNovember which was convened by Dr Fiona Chambers, UCC and Professor Deirdre Brennan, University of Ulster.

L to R: Peter Smyth, research manager Irish Sports Council, Dr. Fiona Chambers, UCC Sean Kelly MEP, Sharon Haughey, Deirdre Brennan and Paul Donnelly (Policy planning & research manager, Sport NI. Photo: John Murphy

The body which was launched by Sean Kelly, MEP, intends to bring together academic researchers, NGBs, athletes, young people, policy makers, practitioners as well as community and business leaders to devise a research strategy that will help encourage lifelong physical activity.At the opening session on Thursday evening each member of the group were asked to pitch, in ten minutes or less, their three research priorities and the Federation identified:

1. Economic benefit of participation in sport to the health system

(e.g. reduction of health spend)

2. Educational benefit of participation in sport for children/young adults

(e.g. improved learning/results)

3. Economic impact of sport to Ireland

(e.g. jobs created, money to exchequer, areas of potential)

Whilst some research has been carried out in Ireland on the economic and social impact of sport, this needs to be updated and it would be useful to have annual research and empirical data to outline the positive impact sport has in Ireland in numerous areas e.g. Health, Education, Tourism. This research would allow the sporting community show to government that sport has real measureable benefits which should be supported on an on-going basis.

The Friday session, at the North South Ministerial Council Buildings in Armagh, broke the group into their areas of expertise and sought to tease out possible terms of reference for the group, to narrow down research objectives and to identify actions for the next meeting in March 2013.

The Seminar finished on Friday afternoon and the delegates headed off to the four corners of the island with much to think of and work to do before the next meeting in the new year.

Mr Seán Kelly, MEP, said initiatives such as AI-SPAPP were important if we wished to maximize our physical, human and intellectual resources for the benefit of the public. “We need to have our brightest minds informing policy, impacting practice and preparing preventive strategies to offset the challenges of a post-modern world that has, perhaps unwittingly, engineered physical inactivity.”

Further Reading:

http://www.irishhealth.com/article.html?id=21286

http://thecorknews.ie/articles/adult-inactivity-examined-8143

http://www.ucc.ie/en/news/summary-173746-en.html

http://news.ulster.ac.uk/releases/2012/6640.html

€26M for 615 new sports projects announced by Ring

Dec 3, 2012

Minister of State for Tourism & Sport Michael Ring has announced almost €26 million in new funding for local sports projects across the country, the first round of sports capital funding in four years.

Speaking at the announcement Minister Ring, said: ‘I am excited about the allocations being made today. These allocations will benefit people in every county by giving them more opportunities to get involved in sport, whatever their ability. This funding will allow a diverse array of sports clubs and groups to build and improve much-needed facilities, or to purchase sports equipment’.

The 2012 round of the Sports Capital Programme is the first round of the programme since 2008. New criteria were introduced for this year’s programme with a particular emphasis on clubs in disadvantaged areas.

Between 1998 and 2010, €140 per person was provided in sports capital funding across the country. However, the allocations to individual counties varied significantly. While the best performing county got €196 of sports funding on a per capita basis, other counties got only a little over half of that. Therefore on this occasion funding has been allocated on a per-capita basis to each county with a weighting for past performance.

A total of 2,170 applications were received, the highest number of applications ever received under the Programme. These applications sought a total of €229 million in funding. Further allocations of €4 million will be made to national and regional projects in the coming weeks.

The Sports Capital Programme is the Government’s main vehicle for supporting the development of sports facilities and the purchase of non-personal sports equipment.

Main features of the 2012 Sports Capital Programme are:

• Total fund of €30 million available for allocation.
• Some clubs previously excluded were able to apply this year. For the first time clubs and organisations which do not own their land or do not have a long lease were able to apply for modest grants of up to €25,000 to upgrade facilities.

The allocations announced include funding for:

o   Natural grass sports pitches, tracks and courts (including pitch drainage)
o   Floodlighting
o   Artificial sports pitches, tracks, courts and multi-use games areas
o   Security fencing and ball stop netting
o   Hurling walls / handball alleys
o   Building or refurbishment of dressing rooms, showers and toilets
o   Building or refurbishment of sports halls and gyms
o   Non-personal sports equipment
o   Shared facilities
o   Any other capital projects that are clearly sporting in nature and that will increase participation in sport or improve performance

See the complete list of allocations here

Federation of Irish Sport Publishes Annual Review

Nov 30, 2012

Click the image to view the Annual Review

• Irish Sports Continue to Shine Brightly – but Strikes Cautious Note for the Future
• Decisions Today will  have Real Impact by End of Decade
• Federation Highlights Potential of Sport in Vision 2020
• Innovative Funding methods Must be Considered
• Value of Sports Tourism Highlighted
• Call for Professional Body to Bid for Sports Tourism Projects
• Sport Could Play Major Role in Tackling Obesity Problems

Irish sport continues to be one of the few bright spots for Ireland in these difficult economic times.  In a year that has seen Irish soccer feature once again at a major championship, Katie Taylor win Olympic Gold, our Paralympians take 16 medals at the London Games, Kilkenny continue their remarkable feats, Rory McIlroy win all around him and Irish rugby unveil a new and exciting generation of players, Irish sport has provided one of the few beacons of hope for the country.

At the same time sport cannot be taken for granted and decisions taken now could have a major negative impact in the future that could set Irish sport back decades.  These are just a number of the key messages in this year’s annual Review of Irish Sport which has been published by the Federation of Irish Sport.  The Review was launched earlier today, Friday, 30 November, 2012.

The Federation, which represents Ireland’s national sporting organisations, has been publishing an annual review since 2009.  The main purpose of the Review is to remind key influencers of the positive power of sport in Ireland and also to ensure that the development and funding of sport remains a Government priority.   As in previous years the Federation has used its Review not alone to warn against funding cuts but to also suggest ways in which changes in Government policy could be beneficial to the development of Irish sport and its funding.

In her review of the year Federation CEO, Sarah O’Connor, said that she was delighted to note that the Government had given a commitment to involve sport in next year’s Global Economic Forum. She said it was recognition of the very real contribution sport is today making to the Irish economy and to our reputation both at home and abroad.

She went on to say that the Federation and its members fully recognise the difficulties for Government funding for sport today and that she was felt it was even more essential that the Government be open to explore other ways of securing investment in sport.  She said that now was not the time to make decisions on areas such as sports sponsorship by alcohol companies. She said that all the research that the Federation had undertaken pointed to the fact that there are little or no new sponsorship monies available in the marketplace.  She said that whatever is done in the long-term nothing should be done in the short-term.

She also noted that sport had made a submission to the Government in relation to funding of amateur sport.  “Amateur sport is at a distinct disadvantage to other areas of community and voluntary sector given that unlike them it doesn’t qualify for charitable status.  There is therefore no incentive to give to sport in the same way that there are for other causes that are of public benefit.”  She said that a change in the status of amateur sport could make a huge difference to sport in the short term.

She again noted the importance of volunteerism in Irish sports.  She said that without the 500,000 plus volunteers that are involved in Irish sport every year that it would simply cease to function.  She said it was all too easy to forget that there is a real economic value on such volunteering and the value to sport is of the order of €350 million a year.

In conclusion she also noted the fact that sport was committed to being part of The Gathering in 2013.  She believed that sports tourism, as evidenced by such events as the US Football match in Dublin and the Volvo Ocean Race in Galway could be of huge benefit in the re-building of the country.  She appealed to the Government to set up a specialist agency, along similar lines to that in Denmark, to bid for sports events.  She noted that Sport Event Denmark was now successful in two out of every three bids it made.

The Future of Irish Sport

As part of this year’s Review the Federation asked a number of experts in the sporting area to look ahead to the year 2020 with a view to seeing what sport could be like for the country if it were given the right support.  There was remarkable consistency among many of those asked and the key findings as to what they would like to see sport looking at in 2020 were as follows:

• One single State entity to deal with all sport,  bringing together the old Irish Sports Council, the National Sports Campus Development Authority, Coaching Ireland and the Irish Institute of Sport.  The new entity to have control over all elements of sport including high performance NGB grants, the sports capital budget and also to be involved in all decisions relating to sport and health and sports tourism.
• Recognition of sport as a cornerstone for the improvement of Irish Society and increased co-operation between all Government Departments having an impact on sport
• Charitable status for amateur sport to help free up new streams of revenue.
• Monies from taxes raised from the betting industry to be shared across all sports.
• The setting up of a single agency to bid for international sports events.
• Sport to be used as a vehicle to improve the health of the nation.  Only this week a new study showed that obesity/overweight is costing the island of Ireland €1.65 billion a year.
• The completion of the National Sports Campus.
• Ireland having a high performance system that matches the very best in the world
• All schools having physical education as part of their curriculum.
• Greater involvement of women in sport throughout all of their lives
• Ireland hosting the Rugby World Cup 2023.

View the 2012 Annual Review Here

Budget 2013: Federation Make Clear its View that Sport has a Key Role to Play in Improving Irish Society

Nov 30, 2012

The Federation of Irish Sport made a written submission to Ministers Varadkar & Ring in relation to the treatment of sport in the upcoming budget on December 5^th. The Federation made clear its view that sport has a key role to play in improving Irish society.

The specific issues highlighted by the Federation in its submission were:

• Welcoming the inclusion of sport in the Global Economic Forum to be held in 2013
• The need to protect future funding of the Irish Sports Council (“ISC”) and that it is our contention that there should be no further reduction to ISC funding after the anticipated additional 5% cut for 2013
• The protection of current funding opportunities for sport and in particular, there should be no further discussion on the issue of introducing a ban on alcohol sponsorship of sporting events for 3 years
• The need to identify and develop additional revenue streams for sport
• The extension of the current tax relief on donations to sporting bodies from capital projects as it exists at present to “non-capital” projects
• The development of a Vision or Masterplan for Irish Sport

A copy of our submission letter to Ministers Varadkar and Ring can be viewed here.

Irish Sport Acknowledges its Volunteers

Nov 20, 2012

–        Minister Ring Acknowledges Contribution of 500,000 while Presenting Awards to Eleven Sporting Volunteers

–        Special Award for Tipperary’s Liam Sheedy

–        Lifetime Award for Athletics Ronnie Long

–        Olympic Boxer’s Father is Youth Coach of the Year

–        Awards Shared by Ten Sports

20 November 2012, Aviva Stadium.   The Minister of State for Tourism and Sport, Michael Ring, TD, acknowledged the major contribution played by Irish sports 500,000 volunteers as he presented the “National Awards to Volunteers in Irish Sport” at a function held in the Aviva Stadium, Dublin, earlier today.  In all he presented eleven awards across ten sports.

The “National Awards to Volunteers in Irish Sport” celebrates the contribution of those who volunteer across all of Irish sport.  In making the presentations Minister Ring acknowledged the contribution made by volunteers saying that without their incredible efforts sport as we know it in Ireland today would not exist.

The National Awards are a collaboration between the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport, the Irish Sports Council and the Federation of Irish Sport which represents over 70 sports in Ireland.  This scheme is also supported by the Community Foundation of Ireland.
Among the recipients of this year’s awards were Liam Sheedy, who managed Tipperary to All Ireland Senior success in 2010.  He was nominated for his commitment to Tipperary hurling which has seen him manage hurling and camogie teams at all age levels in his home club of Portroe.

Hockey’s Sally Ann Fanagan took the Adult Manager of the Year title for her commitment to the sport which this year came so close to qualifying for the London Olympics. Another Olympic connection was provided by Oliver O’Neill, who won the Youth Coaching Award.  Oliver is the father of Darren O’Neill, captain of this year’s successful Irish Olympic boxing team.

A Lifetime Award was presented to athletics’ Ronnie Long who has served Irish athletics at every level from grassroots through to President of Athletics Ireland.  His work at county and regional level as an administrator and the passion and energy he brought all his life to athletics was honoured in the award.

The award winners were selected by a committee chaired by Olympic gold medal winner, Ronnie Delany.  Also on the committee were representatives from the Federation of Irish Sport, the Irish Sports Council, the Irish Times, RTE and the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport.

Speaking at the presentation of the awards Minister Ring said he was delighted to see the breadth of this year’s awards which took in ten sports.  He said the honours were all well-deserved for they demonstrated once again just how important volunteerism is in Irish sport as we know it today.  He said that despite the professionalism that has come into sport at all levels, volunteers still have a huge role to play.

“It is particularly interesting for me to see how some of the people we honour today have risen to the very top in Irish sport and yet they have given back so much to their sports by volunteering.  We see before us today people who have helped nurture young sportsmen and women who have gone on to participate at the Olympic Games.  We also are honouring a man today who not alone has nurtured hurling and camogie at every age group through to senior but who also has gone on to manage his native county to All Ireland Senior Hurling success.”

“For me all our winners epitomise true sportsmen and women who not alone get a great deal out of sport but perhaps just as importantly put a huge amount into sport.”

Also speaking at the awards ceremony Sarah O’Connor, Chief Executive of the Federation of Irish Sport, said:

“As Minister Ring has said today Irish sport would not exist without the efforts of the 500,000 people who volunteer so freely of their time every year.  This voluntary investment has been estimated to have an economic value equivalent of somewhere between €350 to €580 million each year.”

“I don’t think, however, you can really put a monetary value on just what volunteering means to sport in this country. To put it more simply the 1.7 million Irish people who actively participate in sport would simply not have the opportunity to do so if it weren’t for people like our volunteers today.”

“It is an effort that should not be taken for granted as without these volunteers not only would we cease to enjoy the successes achieved on the international stage but there would also be serious implications for public health at a time when obesity and other lifestyle induced chronic diseases are on the rise.”

The full list of award winners is as follows:

Biographies of the award winners are appended to this press release.

(ends)

For further information, please contact:-

Sarah O’Connor, Chief Executive, Federation of Irish Sport  tel:  086 804 8446

or

Caroline Ryan, Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport tel: 01 604 1807

2012 NATIONAL AWARDS TO VOLUNTEERS IN IRISH SPORT

The Winners:

–        Adult Coach of the Year:  Marian Fenton, Swimming.
Marian Fenton (nee Cummins) has been involved in Irish swimming for over 40 years.  A member of a well-known swimming family her sister, Anne, was the first Irish woman to break 60 seconds for the 100m freestyle while her brother, David, swam in the 1980 Olympic Games in Moscow.

Despite facing a number of serious battles with illness Marian has continued to teach and to coach and also to work in rehabilitating patients recovering from major surgery.  A team manager for Irish national squads she has also worked with the Irish Schools Swimming Association and has undertaken many different tasks with her own club, Cormorant.  A Swim Ireland tutor today she works to bring youth coaches and teachers into the sport.
–        Adult Manager of the Year:  Sally Ann Fanagan, Hockey.
Sally Anne Fanagan has been manager of the Irish Ladies Hockey Squad for the past six years.  She has juggled that role with a highly successful role in business.  Recently she announced her retirement from the hockey role to spend more time with her family.

A model of professionalism she has been at the heart of managing the success of the Irish Ladies Hockey team during that period, a success that culminated in the play off for the London 2012 Olympics.

A stickler for detail she ensured that the hockey squad wanted for nothing.  She ensured at all times that with her looking after the detail the squad could concentrate on the job at hand – playing.
–        Youth Coach:  Oliver O’Neill, Boxing.
Paulstown Boxing club was founded in 1972.  It is the longest running and most successful boxing club in the Laois / Kilkenny / Carlow area.  That this is so is mainly down to the work of one man, Oliver O’Neill.  Under his guidance the club has gone from strength to strength producing 25 Irish champions who between them have won 58 titles.  The club can also boast a European silver medallist and a member of this year’s Irish Olympic team – his son, Darren, who captained the Irish Boxing Team at the London Olympics.

He has coached several girl boxers to Irish titles and readily welcomed children from disadvantaged backgrounds.  He continues to train boxers from under age right up to senior – both boys and girls.
–        Youth Manager:  Stephen Leigh, Basketball
While County Clare may be predominantly a GAA county, Stephen Leigh has ensured that the sport of basketball continues to thrive in that county.  Since 2010 he has worked extremely closely with the Clare Local Sports Partnership to establish the Clare under age basketball league.  Since the start there are now ten new clubs operating in the county at under 13 and under 15 levels.
–        Community Administrator:  Rose Devine, Soccer
Rose Devine has worked as a volunteer in sport since the early 1970s.  Working in London she founded Croydon Camogie Club and was responsible for the setting up of a county board for camogie which is still going strong today.  She played both Gaelic football and camogie for London.

Returning to Ireland in 1996 she initially coached GAA in local Kildare clubs before founding Prosperous United in 1998 where she served in a number of roles including secretary from 2008 -2010. In 2009 she started up the Kildare Girls Soccer League which today play in the Dublin Metro League. Rose is also involved in Community Games.

–        National Administrator: Brendan Dowling, Martial Arts
Brendan first became involved in the administration of Irish Martial Arts Commission as its chairperson over 20 years ago.  He has been a key figure in bringing together the various martial arts activities in Ireland. He has been one of the pioneers of martial arts coach development and has taken personal responsibility for much of the administration and record keeping that is required by a national governing body today.  In 2008 he was elected the first president of the Irish Martial Arts Commission.

Despite all of his administrative duties he remains a frontline martial arts instructor for both adults and young people.  He has been an activist in the promotion of all aspects of “inclusion in sport” at community, city and national levels.
–        Disabilities Sports Volunteer: Colm and Shelagh Leech, Special Olympics
Shelagh and Colm Leech have been volunteers with Special Olympics for over 15 years during which time they have taken on a variety of different roles working at national, regional and local club levels.  Their daughter, Tara, is a participant in the Special Olympics in the sports of gymnastics, basketball, athletics and golf.

In 1989 Shelagh and Colm were among a group of parents to establish a Special Olympics Club in Bray.  This is one of the first community based clubs in Special Olympics.  They went on to found a further club in Blackrock.  As strong advocates and shining examples of the role family members can play in such an organisation Shelagh and Colm have been leaders in the family programme for Special Olympics since its earliest days.

Experts in event management Shelagh and Colm have helped out many of their peers in ensuring that events both looked well and ran properly.  Shelagh and Colm were heavily involved in the development of a Special Olympics town, a themed fun centre at the National Games.  It was no surprise when Shelagh was asked to take on the overall management of the Special Olympics town for the 2003 Special Olympics World Games in Dublin.
–        Sporting Official: Mary Murray, Gymnastics
Mary Murray has been a volunteer in Gymnastics Ireland for over 20 years during which period she has worked in many capacities as a coach, judge and a member of the women’s technical committee.  She has been an international judge for the last six years.

Mary has helped in the development of the new competition programme which was implemented five years ago and every year she helps to update this programme and the rules.  She has worked tirelessly in the interests of her sport of gymnastics never seeking recognition.  She has organised and coordinated all of the women’s national championships over the past three years.  It is very rare that a women’s national championship takes place without Mary judging at the competition.
–        Lifetime Award: Ronnie Long, Athletics
Ronnie Long has served athletics in every role possible.  He has done immeasurable work at all levels from grassroots with his club through to serving as President of Athletics Ireland.  He has travelled to the Olympic Games as manager and has also spent years working at county and regional level as an administrator.

Ronnie has applied energy and passion to all aspects of his life in athletics and this passion is undimmed today as he enters his 78^th year.
–        Special Recognition:  Liam Sheedy, Hurling
Tipperary’s All Ireland Winning Hurling Manager in 2010, Liam Sheedy, was nominated for the award by Portroe his local GAA club for his “tireless commitment to coaching our club’s under age hurling teams, Under 8, Under 10, Under 12, Under 14 and Under 16 as well as Portroe Camogie Club’s under age girls of similar age groups”.  He has also coached all of the club’s senior teams.  In his time Liam has also coached both the Tipperary Minor and Senior All Ireland hurlers, with both of whom he has enjoyed All Ireland success.

He has been involved with Portroe since his teenage years and his input into coaching at the club culminated this year in the historic achievement of the club winning its first North Tipperary Senior Hurling Championship.