Jul 25, 2022
Sport Ireland launches €2,000,000 ‘Sport for All’ Disability Supports Club Fund as part of this year’s NGB Dormant Accounts Fund
- €2m funding available for clubs to support disability specific activities in sports clubs
- Total funding package of €4m aims to break down barriers to participation
- Closing date for applications from NGBs is Monday, September 1st, 2022
Sport Ireland has today opened the application process for a €2million ‘Sport for All’ Disability Supports Club Fund.
The Scheme will be open to the affiliated clubs of Sport Ireland recognised National Governing Bodies (NGBs). The fund offers every club affiliated with a Sport Ireland recognised National Governing Body an opportunity to provide inclusive programmes and supports for people with a disability.
The fund will support the initiation or enhancement of disability specific activities within grassroots sports clubs. Clubs will apply directly to their NGB for funding. NGBs will in turn submit a consolidated application on behalf of its club network to Sport Ireland.
Clubs can apply for funding of between €1,000 and €5,000 to support the following areas:
- Disability Supports Education & Training
- Disability Supports Programme Activation and Delivery
- Disability Supports Small Scale Equipment and Infrastructure
Speaking about the Dormant Accounts Funding, Minister of State for Sport and the Gaeltacht, Jack Chambers TD, said: “The NGB Club Fund being launched today responds directly to the commitment made in the Sport Action Plan 2021-2023 that I launched last November. Helping the sports sector, especially the club network, to recover from the damage caused by the pandemic is one of my top priorities alongside the promotion of a “sport-for-all” ethos across the sector. There’s €2million being set aside under this new Fund and it presents a great opportunity for sports clubs everywhere to consider how they might make their sport even more accessible for people in their communities, especially those with a disability. Sport can offer so many benefits to people’s health and wellbeing and we need to make that a reality on the ground for more and more people.”
Funding guidelines will be distributed directly to all eligible Sport Ireland recognised NGBs. The closing date for applications from NGBs to Sport Ireland will be Monday, September 1st, 2022. It is anticipated that an announcement of funding allocations will be made by December 2022. All club enquires in relation to the ‘Sport for All’ Disability Supports Club Fund should be made directly to the relevant Sport Ireland recognised National Governing Body.
The ‘Sport for All’ Disability Supports Club Fund is part of a broader €4 million Dormant Accounts Fund investment programme that aims to support the delivery of the Government’s ‘Sport for All’ initiative along with Sport Ireland’s Diversity & Inclusion, Disability and Women in Sport Policies.
Kieran Mulvey, Chairman of Sport Ireland commented: “Today’s announcement of the investment package for Dormant Accounts Funding will allow for exciting initiatives and projects that will promote sport and physical activity in society. The continuation of this funding will go a long way to having a positive impact on the health and wellbeing of communities across Ireland.”.
Chief Executive of Sport Ireland Dr. Una May added: “The Dormant Account Funding has given NGBs and sports clubs in Ireland the opportunity to get new programmes and initiatives off the ground that may not have been possible without this injection of funding. The investment means more opportunities within sports and clubs become possible, with our NGB’s and their members benefiting in return. I want to thank the government once again for this approved funding which will be of major benefit to the sports sector.”
Ends.
Jul 19, 2022
Murphy joins Hockey Ireland, bringing with him a vast range of experience in sports governance, business leadership and strategic planning with over 20 years as a senior business leader.
From 2017 to 2020, he was the CEO of Horse Sport Ireland (HSI), implementing a complete restructuring of the National Governing Body based on the Department of Agriculture’s Indecon report recommendations within a record 10-month timeframe.
In the sporting arena, the highlight included the historic qualification of all three Irish senior equestrian teams for the Tokyo Summer Olympic Games.
During his tenure, HSI also devised and established robust, transparent and effective Corporate Governance systems and processes and developed sustainable, multi-annual funding models for the Irish Sport Horse Sector.
Most recently, he has been the CEO of the Irish Limousin Cattle Society which is the approved body to look after the interests of its 2,400 members, covering all aspects of marketing, administration and promotion of the breed. He is also a board member of Dressage Ireland and has recently served as Chair of the European Equestrian Federation EU Committee.
Speaking about the new role, Murphy said: “I am excited to take up the role of CEO with Hockey Ireland as the sport looks to continue its recent growth and rise to prominence in Irish sporting life.
“I see many aspects of hockey in Ireland that we can augment and develop, and I look forward to working with the staff, the board, provinces, clubs, members, sponsors and the grassroots of the sport to implement our strategic ambition and to realise the full potential of the sport across all levels from the very earliest participation and development pathways to delivering championship and Olympic success for Team Ireland. ”
His appointment follows a rigorous selection process over the past few months following Jerome Pels’ move from Hockey Ireland to a role with England Boxing. Between now and October, Nick McElwee will continue in the interim role as Hockey Ireland CEO.
Hockey Ireland chair Trevor Watkins said of his appointment:“We are delighted that Ronan Murphy will head up the team in Hockey Ireland to continue to drive and implement our ambitious strategy and take further opportunities for our sport.
“Ronan’s experience and success in sport and business give him the ideal background to continue the drive to grow hockey in the community and continue our success on the international stage.”
Murphy’s brief will see him continue the implementation of the Hockey Ireland Strategy 2021-2024 and the clear vision to ‘Change the Game’.
The Strategy has a clear focus on the importance of the commercial and marketing functions, aimed at securing the future of the sport, developing a financially secure and commercially-focused organisation that maximises public funding, sponsorship and revenue generating opportunities.
Through this, Hockey Ireland will establish itself as a nationally respected sports brand, communicating with professionalism and passion with its stakeholders.
Murphy will take on the role amid a busy year in which the Irish senior women’s squad outdid their pre-tournament ranking at this summer’s World Cup and look forward to European Championship qualifiers and the FIH Nations Cup.
The senior men have a similar schedule with Euro qualifiers in August and the FIH Nations Cup in the winter while an exciting national season is just around the corner with several new clubs continuing their growth with Hockey Ireland support.
Jun 30, 2022
We are delighted present our members with our 2022 Member Survey which has been created in partnership with the research team at Sport and Recreation Alliance UK. The member survey is intended to be taken by all 110 members of the Federation of Irish Sport.
Usually, we conduct a member consultation every 2 years. However, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the survey was not undertaken last time. This means it is 4 years since a survey of this type has been given to our members. Surveys such as this one are fundamental to membership organisations like ourselves. They ensure we have a comprehensive understanding of who our members are (their profile), the main priorities across the membership, the level of satisfaction with the services provided in return for membership, and what members want from FIS moving forward.
Further, one of the key challenges we face is understanding how Covid-19 has impacted us as a sector, and we can do to support the recovery from the pandemic. Part of this understanding involves developing and evidence base with which to demonstrate the impact. As such, several of the questions will ask members to report on the change in their ‘position’ from before the pandemic to today.
To reflect the above the survey is broken down into 3 principle sections:
– About your organisation
– Satisfaction with the Federation of Irish Sport
– Future priorities
We would like to thank our members in advance for their time in contributing to this valuable consultation. The results of this survey will be used to shape FIS’ activities over the next 2-4 years and provide valuable evidence bases on which to build our asks of government.
Jun 21, 2022
- Participation rate among adults at 40% in 2021 – 6% decline since 2019
- Club membership remained broadly stable over the course of the pandemic
- Activities such as cycling, weights and running see higher levels of participation
- 54% of adults use technology to measure physical activity, almost twice as many as in 2017 when last measured
- 9 in 10 believe Irish Olympic athletes ‘set a positive example for others to follow’
The period of Covid-19 restrictions resulted in significant fluctuations in physical activity among the Irish public. While record levels of activity were measured at one point in 2020, according to Sport Ireland’s latest Irish Sports Monitor published today, the level of inactivity had returned to the pre-pandemic level by the end of 2021.
The Irish Sports Monitor (ISM) has measured adult participation in sport and physical activity since 2007. The latest report, produced in conjunction with Ipsos MRBI, presents findings based on interviews with over 8,500 adults aged 16 and over conducted between January and December 2021.
Participation in sport has declined during the 2021 ISM wave, with 40% of the population playing sport regularly – a 6 point decline since 2019.
Minister of State for Sport the Gaeltacht Jack Chambers TD said: “This latest sports monitor further underlines the role sport and physical activity played in all of our lives over the course of the pandemic. Our National Governing Bodies and Local Sports Partnerships worked tirelessly throughout the pandemic to ensure that members and the wider public were engaged and motivated despite the many challenges that existed. The fact that club memberships have remained stable over this period indicates the incredible role played by the volunteers, coaches, players and parents in local clubs all over the country who are the heartbeat of grassroots sport in our communities. I am pleased the Government was able to help the entire sports sector in this period with unprecedented levels of funding supports. I note also nearly one in four people took part in online exercise classes during the Covid-19 pandemic. Such innovation is emblematic of the resilience of the overall sports landscape.
“Of particular importance to me is ensuring that sport and physical activity is welcoming and accessible to all. In that regard it is heartening to see that a majority of club members agree that ‘Everyone knows they are welcome’ in their club. However the moderate level of support for inclusion measures shows that there is still work to be done in this area. Together with Sport Ireland, we will continue to introduce and implement ‘SportForAll’ measures to ensure the sport is truly open and accessible to people of all ages, backgrounds and abilities.”
The proportion of Irish adults classified as ‘Highly Active’ (considered to be meeting the National Physical Activity Guidelines) has increased significantly since 2019, from 34% to 41%. Similarly, the proportion that is sedentary (did not participate in any activity during the past 7 days) is broadly unchanged over the same time period, (2021: 11%; 2019: 12%).
Chief Executive of Sport Ireland Dr Una May commented: “Throughout 2021 we saw a significant change in the nature of sports participation. This is primarily attributable to the negative impact of the pandemic restrictions. While indoor and team-based activities were negatively impacted, activities such as cycling, weights and running saw higher levels of participation. The challenge for all of those in the sport system now is ensure that new participants are encouraged and supported to stay, while those whose participation may have lapsed are enticed back.”
“Sport has always been a force for unity in Ireland and this is reflected in so many people seeing the Olympic and Paralympic Games as a source of increased national pride and togetherness. Nearly 9 in 10 people agreed that Irish athletes ‘set a positive example for others to follow’, while two-thirds believed the Games brought the country together. We are proud of our athletes and the example that they set. While the research found that the motivating force of the Olympics on adult participation is not particularly strong, three quarters of those surveyed people believe that the Olympics inspires children to participate in Sport.”
A change in the nature of sports participation can be seen, with indoor and team-based activities negatively impacted by the pandemic restrictions and activities such as cycling, weights and running seeing higher levels of participation. These changes impacted people differently. For example, the gender gap in sports participation has widened to the same level measured in 2017, possibly due to restrictions related to indoor activities as well as swimming and gym-based activity which tend to have higher levels of female participation. However, the gender gap is still at a much lower level than at the start of the ISM series.
The socio-economic gradients in sport has widened during the pandemic, with those in employment, of higher socio-economic status and with higher levels of education significantly more likely to be involved in sport and physical activity. Those from higher socio-economic groups have benefited disproportionately from working from home arrangements, possibly providing them with more leisure time in which to be active during the pandemic than those from lower socio-economic groups.
Director of Research and Innovation at Sport Ireland, Benny Cullen, said “This wave of the Irish Sports Monitor allowed Sport Ireland to keep track of the unprecedented changes in sport and physical activity behaviours triggered by the COVID 19 pandemic. The research allowed Sport Ireland to make informed policy and investment responses to support the Irish sports sector throughout the pandemic and to inform the sector of the challenges and opportunities in the return to Sport when social restrictions were lifted. The growth in social gradients in sport during the pandemic do present a challenge to sport. However, despite the reduction in sports participation, especially in the first quarter of 2021 when restrictions were at their peak, it is encouraging to see the sports participation figures moving in the right direction in the second, third and fourth quarter of the year. We are keeping a close eye on how these trends progress into 2022.”
The 2021 Irish Sports Monitor Summary Report is available here.
The 2021 Irish Sports Monitor Full Report is available here.
Irish Sports Monitor Summary Report and Annual Report 2021
Jun 10, 2022
The Federation of Irish Sport is pleased to announce that it is conducting it’s bi-annual member survey in partnership with Sport and Recreation Alliance UK Research Team. This important membership consultation will provide us with the most current feedback on topics such as membership, staffing, governance, funding, impact of Covid-19 and evaluation of services provided by the Federation. This research will enable us an organisation to understand what are the most relevant issues and challenges facing National Governing Bodies and Local Sports Partnerships. The insights gained will also assist the Federation in making the best representation to Government on behalf of our members. It is also an opportunity for members to give their feedback on the services provided and value offered by the Federation and where improvements can be made. The member survey will be circulated to member national governing bodies and local sports partnerships the week commencing the 27th June.
Pictured at Irish Sport HQ: Dion Barnaby, Richard Boardman, Sport and Recreation Alliance UK and Mary O’Connor CEO Federation of Irish Sport, Graham Russell, Head of Sport Louth Co. Council and Board Member of Federation of Irish Sport.
Richard Boardman, Research and Development Manager at the Sport and Recreation Alliance said: “This project represents a great opportunity to share ideas and expertise with equivalent organisations overseas. It enables us to apply the knowledge gained from our own member survey, and industry best practice to ensure the Federation of Irish Sport has the best possible insight and intelligence with which to shape its offer to members.
Our initial consultation sessions have been very constructive and we look forward to delivering a high quality piece of research”
The Sport and Recreation Alliance believes that the power of sport and recreation can change lives and bring communities together. Together with over 300 members and in partnership with the wider sector, they make the most of opportunities and tackle the areas that provide a challenge. The Sport and Recreation Alliance R&D team was established 2 years ago. In that time the team has delivered major pieces of research on behalf of the Alliance, including; the impact of Covid 19 on community clubs, the social value contribution of movement and dance to sport and physical activity and a ‘current position summary’ of research on trans, non-binary and inter-sex athletes in sport. As the voice of the sector in the UK, they work with Government, policy makers and the media to make sure grassroots sport and recreation grows and thrives.
The CEO of member organisations of the Federation of Irish Sport will receive the survey directly later this month. We would ask that members support this important piece of research as a greater response rate will lead to greater insights, which will in turn benefit the sector as a whole.
Jun 2, 2022
This year the Federation of Irish Sport hosted the return of the Irish Sport Industry Awards, in association with Clubforce at The Westin Hotel on May 17th. We are delighted to share with you a flavour of the awards night and this special gathering of the sports sector.
The Federation of Irish Sport comprises 81 National Governing Bodies and 29 Local Sports Partnerships. Representing over 70 different sports, ranging from mass participation to niche sporting activities, our members also include multi-sport organisations such as the Olympic Federation of Ireland, Community Games, Vision Sports Ireland, Special Olympics Ireland, Paralympics Ireland, Irish Wheelchair Association Sport, Triathlon Ireland, Deaf Sports Ireland, CARA Sport, Student Sport Ireland, Ireland Active and Pentathlon Ireland.
As The Voice of Irish Sport, one of our key goals is to promote the multifaceted benefits of participation in sport and physical activity. The annual Irish Sport Industry Awards provides a platform for us to celebrate the economic value of sport to the country. The awards also recognise those contributing across the sports industry from governing bodes, sports partnerships, rights holders, sponsors, PR agencies, media, key stakeholders to those in the business of sport. We’re already excited about next year’s event!
