Dec 21, 2012
2012 was a great year for Irish Sport. The Federation’s Annual Review published at the end of November was testament to this. The achievements of our international athletes across a multitude of sports are well documented. Once again however the success of Irish Sport in 2012 was about much more than just sport.
The continued increase in sports participation achieved through the work of the national sports organisations and local sports partnerships can only have a positive impact at public health at a time when the health budget, more than any area of government expenditure is under extreme strain.
The tourism revenues generated by sport for Ireland as evidenced not just by the American Football match which, brought 37,000 Americans to Ireland for a week but also the multitude of cycles, runs, triathlons and matches that bring money into local economies around the country week in week out. Sport continues to support in excess of 38,000 jobs and contributes €1.4 billion to GDP.
But more than that, sport was a beacon of light and of hope amongst the endless commentary of doom and gloom. We all know where we were when Katie won gold and how good that made us as a country and as a people feel. The impossible became possible. Talent, hard work and belief overcame the challenges and for a few moments, our flag flew higher than all others. Sport taught us that day that we should have faith in ourselves and with the right support, diligence and effort anything is possible.
This is the message that the Federation has been consistently making to government over the last four years and in many ways significant progress was made during 2012. Some of the achievements include:
- A 2.9% reduction in Irish Sports Council funding in place of the anticipated 5% cut
- A commitment that sport will form part of the 2013 Global Economic Forum
- Sport being encouraged to play its part in the Gathering in recognition of sport’s ability to draw people to Ireland
- 52% of the National Sports Organisations funded by the Irish Sports Council have now made provision for JSI within their rules up from 32% at the start of the year
- The undertaking of a review of the services provided by JSI as well as a simplification and streamlining of the process through the updating of the JSI Rulebook
- Launching a group insurance scheme after undergoing an intensive tender process designed to deliver reduced premia and consistency of pricing to all of Irish Sport. 7 organisations have signed up to date achieving a saving of between 11% & 37% on their insurance costs
- Securing private sector funding to conduct a strategic review with the final report due to be put before the Federation Executive Committee in February
- Hosting the National Awards to Volunteers in Sport which recognised 11 exceptional individuals whose long commitment to sport is an example of how sport brings out the best in us
- Making of submissions to the Department of Agriculture in relation to betting tax
- Submissions made to the Department of Transport, Tourism & Sport in relation to alcohol sponsorship of sport and the extension of the existing tax relief programme in relation to donations to sporting bodies as well as on-going consultation on the formation of Sport Ireland
- Representing Ireland on the European Union’s Expert Group on Good Governance in Sport
2013 economically at least looks like it will be another difficult year for Ireland Inc. The challenge for all of us involved in Irish Sport will be in trying to retain the spirit of the memories created by 2012 to ensure that the potential for sport as a cornerstone on which a better Ireland can be built is not forgotten. There will be better times ahead. Sport cannot only help us get there but will sustain us along the way.
The Federation will be spreading this message in 2013. Not only will we be arguing that no further reductions in funding particularly, to the Irish Sports Council should be made but also that government need to look beyond funding to other policy measures that can be made to facilitate the continued development of sport in Ireland.
We intend to establish a Friends of Sport Group within the Oireachtas and will publish four policy papers over the course of 2013 in addition, to our Annual Review. We will also publish our 5 year Strategic Plan and host our first Annual Conference in May.
We are grateful to our members and to all those with an interest in and passion for Irish Sport for their continued support and assistance to the Federation during 2012. We look forward to working with you for a better sporting future for Ireland and all of her people next year. In the meantime on behalf of the team in the office and the Executive Committee, we would like to wish you and yours a very Happy Christmas and nothing but the best for 2013. Nollaig faoi shéan is faoi shonas duit
Dec 21, 2012
Katie Taylor’s gold medal at the London Olympics was the greatest sporting achievement of the year according to the 2012 Sport Sentiment Index published by Pembroke Communications. Taylor who was announced on Thursday as the Irish Times/Irish Sports Council Sportswoman of the Year must surely be in the running to be crowned Sports Personality of the Year at the RTE Sport Awards to be held on December 23rd.
The Index also found that 38% of those surveyed felt that the Irish Team that competed at the Paralympic Games was the team of the year.
Key Findings from the 2012 Sport Sentiment Index:
- Walking, running, cycling and swimming attracting huge numbers
- Katie Taylor winning gold is greatest sporting achievement of 2012
- Irish Paralympic team voted “Team of the Year” by 38%
- 53% say Katie Taylor Ireland’s greatest current sports star
- 89% believe Irish sporting success has a positive impact on the country’s reputation
Dec 20, 2012
2012 marked a period of real progress for Just Sport Ireland, the independent dispute resolution facility, set up by the Federation of Irish Sport to provide a specialised, fast and cost effective mechanism for the resolution of sporting disputes. More than 30 sports now have provision for JSI within their rules.
JSI provides both an arbitration and mediation service for Irish Sport. JSI can also on request provide qualified people to sit on the internal disciplinary panels of sports bodies.
The provision for alternative dispute resolution within the rules of sporting organisations is provided for in the Programme for Government. It is also a key objective in the Irish Sports Council’s current statement of strategy. Indeed by 2014 the Irish Sports Council, which supports JSI through the Federation, will require all sporting organisations to provide for alternative dispute resolution within their governing rules.
The principle advantage of making provision for JSI within the rules of a sporting organisation is that it acts as a self-defence mechanism against the threat of court litigation. Dispute resolution with JSI is designed to be fast, cost effective and is dealt with by people with knowledge of sport in an entirely confidential environment.
It costs €150 to refer a dispute to JSI for mediation and €250 for arbitration. In 2012 the average cost of arbitration with JSI was €1,382 although parties may also incur additional legal costs if they appoint solicitors. The JSI process is however designed to be easy to use so that legal representation is not required.
This should be enhanced in early 2013 with the adoption of a new JSI Rulebook to further simplify and streamline the process making JSI even easier to use. 33 National Sporting Organisations have so far made provision for JSI within their rules with organisations as diverse as Special Olympics Ireland, Mountaineering Ireland, Athletics Ireland and Deaf Sports Ireland all signed up.
If your organisation has not yet made provision for Just Sport Ireland we would ask that you contact the Federation’s Support Services Officer to find out how JSI can help your sport. Conn can be reached at 01-6251155, registrar@justsport.ie or visit the website http://www.justsport.ie/
A brief summary of the service is outlined for download here.
Dec 6, 2012
Budget 2013 sees a reduction in €1.3 million in Irish Sport Council funding for next year. The 2.9% reduction on the Irish sport council’s €44.5 million allocation for 2012 is 2.1% less than the anticipated cut of 5%. Speaking about the impact of Budget 2013 on sport, Minister Varadkar said:
“The boxers, paralympians, individual athletes, our national teams and local and county sportspeople lifted the nation’s spirits throughout the year. We are immensely grateful for that as a nation. Moreover, rising levels of participation in sport suggest that our policies are working and investment in sport is producing a real return. In recognition of this, I am reducing the planned cut in funding to the Sports Council from 5% to 2.9% for 2013.”
The estimates for 2013 outline that a further €57 million in expenditure savings will need to be found across the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport in 2014. With €2.6 million of those savings earmarked to come from sport it remains important for Irish Sport to continue to press home the message of the varied contribution sport makes to Ireland whilst at the same time looking at diversifying the income streams available to it. Much work remains to be done in this regard particularly when it comes to incentivising the private sector to invest in Irish Sport.
Read the Federation of Irish Sport’s pre-budget letter to Ministers Varadkar & Ring
Dec 6, 2012
The Federation launched the new Sport Insurance Scheme on 5th 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.
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&9thNovember 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:
- Economic benefit of participation in sport to the health system
(e.g. reduction of health spend)
- Educational benefit of participation in sport for children/young adults
(e.g. improved learning/results)
- 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
