Oct 12, 2022
The Federation of Irish Sport is delighted to be organising a research project, funded by Sports Ireland and is being conducted with the support researchers in University College Cork. The study has been approved by the UCC Social Research Ethics Committee.
Over 450,000 volunteers make sport happen each week in over 13,000 clubs nationwide. It is important to gain insights into the motivations and intentions of volunteers themselves to continue in their role, perceptions on succession and transition in volunteering roles in sport in Ireland, and the effect of the COVID pandemic on the work undertaken by volunteers and their intentions to continue volunteering. This study will also assess from an organisational perspective the level of engagement of volunteers in Irish sport, the extent to which there are transition and succession processes in place to ensure sustainable volunteering, the barriers to recruitment and retention of volunteers, and the effect of the COVID pandemic on volunteering.
Participation in the study is voluntary and all data gathered is fully anonymous and confidential.
For more details contact: info@irishsport.ie
Sep 29, 2022
- €35m package for sports clubs and organisations facing increased energy costs
- Extra €4m to support High Performance in lead-in to 2024 Paris Olympics
- Extra €4m for Sport Ireland for delivery of Sport Action Plan
In response to the Budget 2023 the Federation of Irish Sport welcomes the support to sports clubs and organisations in assisting with increased energy costs associated with facility use. It is a much-needed support, and the Federation recognises the backing of Minister Chambers and the department on this measure.
In addition to the €35 million package there is also an addition of an €8 million increase for high-level performance sport, a new coaching fund and completion of the national swimming strategy.
The Federation also recognises that since the publication of the National Sport Policy (NSP) in 2018 there has been an increase of 57% on the 2018 budget for sport (111m) to a budget of €174.8m in 2023. In addition, current funding to Sport Ireland in 2023 is €89.448m which is an increase of 73% on the figure of €51.6m in 2018. The increase in funding is recognition of the vital importance the sector plays in Irish society economically and socially. The commitment from government to continue to support the sector is welcome and underpins the commitment to doubling funding for the sector over the lifetime of the NSP.
“The Federation welcomes the energy subsidy provision in Budget 2023 for the sector as it is much needed to keep our facilities running during the winter months. We are encouraged that the increase in funding will provide the necessary means to support NGBs and LSPs in their work and is an indication of the governments commitment to support the core activities of our members” Federation CEO Mary O’Connor said.
The Federation of Irish Sport is confident that the measures proposed by it in relation to fulfilling Action 3.7 of the Sports Policy action plan 2021-2023, will provide the Department of Finance, and Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media with feasible reforms to the taxation system to have a sustained solution to reducing NGB and LSP reliance on government funding and looks forward to working with Minister Chambers and the department further on this matter.
In addition to this the federation will also continue to engage on the important topics of sugar tax reallocation and the tackling of the scourge of problematic gambling. Both of which will continue to be a burden on the nation if not addressed.
Ends
Sep 28, 2022
The Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, Catherine Martin TD, and Minister of State, Jack Chambers TD, today announced details of €1,142m gross funding allocated to the department in Budget 2023. These new funding streams and measures run in parallel to, and in addition to, the wider, all-of-society Cost of Living support measures announced by the Government yesterday. Separately, the Government has announced a strong package of horizontal supports, helping citizens, practitioners, organisations and groups manage the current cost of living increases.
Click here for full details of the announcement.
Sep 7, 2022
Sunday Independent 04.09.22
The first long-term plan for Irish sport — the National Sports Policy 2018-2027 — was a real game changer. It was a long overdue recognition by our government of the important role sport plays in the life of our nation.
Key to the plan was the promise contained within it to provide the finance needed to back it up. The government committed, therefore, to double funding for sport over the 10-year lifetime of the policy.
We are now in the fifth year of the plan, and we have seen that commitment materialise year on year with additional funding going into all areas of sport including people and programmes, high performance and new facilities. We have seen a series of rounds of sports capital funding to create an ever better sporting infrastructure. And during the dark days of Covid again government stepped up to the plate with two rounds of the Sports Resilience Fund which helped governing bodies and clubs and ensured that they were there to spring into action as soon as the dark clouds departed.
Sport has always recognised the many demands on government at Budget time and this year will be no exception. Now, though, sport is properly recognised as a key element as we continue our development as a nation.
Some years ago, the Federation of Irish Sport ran a campaign under the banner ‘Irish Sport Matters’, which set out all the ways in which sport is important to us. The Federation represents all of sport’s major national governing bodies, which in turn are responsible for Ireland’s 13,000 clubs. We exist to champion their value and advocate for their value to Irish society.
Sport is good for the economy, with a €3.7bn gross value added (GVA) in terms of economic activity and it employs over 64,000 people in sports related activities. It has a major role to play in the health and fitness of our population. Sports tourism is worth at least €500m of to the economy. Sport is a major contributor to our international reputation. Our sporting volunteers’ efforts have been calculated to have a value of €1.5bn annually.
So yes, sport does matter, and we argue it will matter more than ever as we face the economic challenges before us in the coming years.
We can never be complacent. In our pre-Budget submission to government, we outline five ‘Asks’ to further improve the Irish sporting landscape. However, we recognise the ever greater demands on the Exchequer by making some suggestions as to how the funding we are seeking might be provided by some innovative changes to the tax system and some re-allocation of tax from areas where it makes sense to do just that given their connection with sport.
ASK 1: An increase in core funding and a commitment to multi-annual funding for NGBs and LSPs
In line with the commitment five years ago to double funding for sport by 2027, we are calling on government to deliver the monies already identified in the National Sports Policy to continue on that journey. When aligned to the funding commitment being multi-annual it will lead to transformative outcomes and sustained impacts on a cross section of Irish society.
ASK 2: Taxation reform — to include extending relief on donations to approved sporting bodies; VAT relief for sporting bodies; the granting of charitable status to those NGBs and LSPs who wish to pursue that option; and tax-driven incentives for personal exercise.
The Federation was asked to take the lead in examing possible taxation reforms under a number of headings: (a) the granting of charitable status for NGBs; (b) the lowering of the €250 eligibility threshold for capital reliefs on individual donations to capital projects; (c) the extension of the zero-rated VAT regime; (d) the extension of tax reliefs on capital donations to include donations for participation and coaching programmes; (e) incentivising personal exercise opportunities.
We worked with A&L Goodbody on this project and our final document has been delivered to government. The main recommendations are:
Eliminate the €250 eligibility threshold so all donations qualify for relief.
Extend tax relief on capital expenditure current expenditure, in particular on equipment and coaching.
Introduce tax relief for small cash donations (€50 or less) to approved sporting bodies in respect of all individual donations by way of standard 25 per cent top-up payment.
Introduce a nine per cent rate of VAT for the supply of sport or physical exercise classes, to incentivise getting active and mitigate costs incurred by sporting bodies.
Introduce a tax refund system on qualified costs associated with personal exercise, again as an incentive
Introduce an Employee Exercise Scheme modelled on the Cycle-to- Work scheme under which willing employers make a per annum purchase of exercise membership on behalf of the employee to a maximum of €500
Extend charitable status to NGBs and LSPs on an opt-in / opt-out basis.
ASK 3; That 2.25 per cent (approximately €2m) of the total amount of betting duty raised annually be allocated to tackle gambling addiction
In partnership with Extern Problem Gambling, we want the government to allocate funds to establish a support and education body for those most affected by gambling addiction. Deliberate, focused and sustained interventions must be taken to combat the spiralling gambling harms in Ireland. Currently there is no specific public health programme in Ireland for gambling addiction. Given how much of gambling focusses on sport, we believe this is an appropriate vehicle for such a programme.
We propose that funds equivalent to 2.25 per cent of the total annual amount of betting duty be allocated to awareness campaigns of the potential harms associated with gambling, for targeted educational interventions, to provide people involved in sports with information on the warning signs of a gambling problem and signposting information on specialist helpline and treatment services and having a dedicated helpline and treatment service to support anyone seeking help.
ASK 4; Allocate 4.5 per cent (approximately €1.5m) of the total amount of the sweetened sugar drinks tax raised to combat obesity.
The sugar sweetened drinks tax (SSDT) was introduced in 2018 and in 2020 the monies raised from this tax was €31m. We are asking for around €1.5m to tackle obesity and promote physical activity for school-going children.
Ireland has one of the highest levels of obesity in Europe, with 60 per cent of adults and over one in five children and young people either overweight or obese. In Ireland the cost of obesity and physical inactivity is €1.5 billion a year to the health budget. In 2019, 97,000 cases of disease were prevented by participation in sport and physical activity. The net value of health care and wider costs savings achieved was €0.4bn.
We want increased funding as support for schools to achieve the Active School flag. Currently 809 of our 3,300 primary schools have the flag. The intention is that the funding goes directly to NGBs, LSPS and registered practitioners to deliver programmes in schools that will earn certification and to create a Healthy Pupils Capital fund to give children access to top quality PE equipment.
ASK 5; Recognise the burden that insurance costs are placing on the delivery of sport in Ireland and undertake some much-needed reforms.
The impact of insurance costs on our members and their clubs and volunteers is seismic and continues to have a negative impact on our sector. Rising premiums and new exclusions in policies is preventing them from providing some services, their capacity to facilitate programmes and ultimately inhibiting their ability to grow as organisations. The post-Covid cost of insurance continues to act as a significant barrier to recovery and will continue to hamper our sector unless it is resolved as a matter of urgency.
When I reflect on our asks I am conscious of the many demands on government, particularly at these difficult times. However, I believe we have been innovative in how the funding might be found. We believe that sport and physical activity are more important than ever if we are to successfully navigate what lies ahead. Sport has the potential to serve as a driver of positive change in Irish society, assisting in the delivery of wider government policy objectives particularly in the areas of public health, education, social integration, tourism, and economic growth. It is important to preserve sport as a public good and use it to help realise policy goals.
The decisions made and support provided by government will define the sport and physical activity sector as well as the wellbeing and health of our nation for generations to come. We must fully harness the sport and physical activity sector to improve the physical, mental, and social wellbeing of the nation and sup
Mary O’Connor is the chief executive of the Federation of Irish Sport
Aug 31, 2022
TAX REFORM AT HEART OF FEDERATION OF IRISH SPORT PRE-BUDGET SUBMISSION
The Federation of Irish Sport have submitted their Pre-Budget asks of government for consideration in Budget 2023. Their submission identifies 5 key asks but makes suggestion as to where funding might be found. At the core of the submission, they ask government to look seriously at how sport might be supported by reforming elements of the tax system to benefit Sport and Physical Activity.
Overall, the FIS Pre-Budget Submission highlights the urgent need for on-going support of the sector that is worth over €3.7bn (GVA) to the Irish Economy. The Irish Sports Monitor (ISM) Report has shown the severe setback caused to the sector in meeting targets set out in the National Sports Policy (NSP), due to the impact of Covid-19. In some areas, the figures had regressed to 2019 levels.
View Pre-Budget Submission here
- Federation demonstrates how Action 3.7 of Sports Action Plan can benefit all sports
- Submission highlight’s sport’s €3.7 billion GVA contribution to economy
- Call for government to continue current funding investment in keeping with ambition of National Sports Policy
- Greater certainty also needed as government asked to move to multi-annual system for funding
- FIS also asks government to allocate funds from betting and from sugar tax to use sport to tackle these problems
- Need to reform insurance costs in relation to sport
Action 3.7 of the Sports Policy action plan 2021-2023 contains a number of tax expenditure reforms which at their core seek to help make sporting organisations become more self-sustainable and less reliant on government. The Federation of Irish Sport was given responsibility to drive this action and they have enlisted the support of A&L Goodbody. A full report has recently been made available to government.
The overall ask is that the government continues to demonstrate its commitment to the National Sports Policy by increasing core funding for member NGBs and LSPs in line with its stated ambition to double the level of overall sports funding over the life of the National Sports Policy. In tandem with this they ask government to move to a multi-annual system of core funding for sport and physical activity by confirming the annual increase in funding in line with the National Sports Policy – thereby giving the NGB’s and LSP’s the opportunity to plan ahead.
In the third and fourth recommendations to government, the Federation believe that the reallocation of funding from the betting duty of 2.25% and a redirecting of 4.5% of the sweetened sugar drinks tax would significantly enable the implementation of a support and educational body that would accelerate behavioural change and health benefits in each area.
The Federation’s final ask of Government, is that they look closely at insurance reform. Insurance Reforms are needed that will quickly reduce liability premiums to affordable levels. These reforms have been identified but they are not happening fast enough and are consequently negatively impacting the sports sector and its ability to providing sporting facilities and host sporting events.
Speaking on the launch of the Pre-Budget Submission Federation of Irish Sport CEO Mary O’Connor said; “It is vital that the NGB’s and the LSP’s have continuing access to the funding necessary to facilitate the achievement of the aims of the National Sports Policy as well as their own strategic objectives, we have said on many occasions it is equally important that the government commits to such funding on a multi-annual basis if we are to realise the potential of all funding and make impactful and sustainable interventions.
“What we are proposing here today are achievable means by which the Government can immediately boost the sports sector at no extra cost to the exchequer.”
Sport and the Economy Facts & Figures:
Health: 97,000 cases of disease in Ireland in 2019 were prevented by participation in sport and physical activity. The net value of health care and wider costs savings achieved was €0.4bn in 2019.
Employment: 64,080 people were employed in sport in Ireland in 2018. Sport-related jobs account for 2.8% of all Irish employment, up from 2.1% in 2008.
Consumer Expenditure: €3.3bn spent by people in Ireland on sport-related goods and services in 2018. Sport made up 3.1% of all consumer expenditure in Ireland in 2018 (up from 2% in 2008).
The sport economy has grown faster than the economy as a whole over the last 10 years.
Gross Value Added: €3.7bn (GVA) Total value of sport to the Irish economy in 2018.
Source: Researching the value of sport in Ireland – Sport Ireland and Sheffield Hallam University, September 2021 https://www.sportireland.ie/sites/default/files/media/document/2021-09/vos-report-final-19-07-21.pdf
