Oct 14, 2020
Sport Ireland has welcomed the significant increase in funding for sport and physical activity in Budget 2021.
Recognising the impact of Covid-19 restrictions on the sports sector, it has been announced that Sport Ireland is to receive an increase of €36 million, bringing the overall budget for 2021 to €104.5 million.
Sport Ireland’s allocation will include €9.7 million for the ongoing development of the Sport Ireland Campus.
In addition to the €36 million increase, it was also announced that there will be an increase in Dormant Accounts funding for sport of €2 million bringing the total allocation for 2021 up to €10 million.
Commenting on the budget announcement, Sport Ireland Chairman, Kieran Mulvey, said: “Like all areas of society, the impact of Covid-19 and associated restrictions have had a substantial impact on the sporting landscape. National Governing Bodies, clubs and groups all over Ireland have seen their activities significantly curtailed in 2020, which has in turn placed a financial burden on most, if not all. The acknowledgement of this by Government is to be welcomed by both Sport Ireland and the National Governing Bodies. The funding announced will provide a significant boost to the National Governing Body sector.
“Sport Ireland is a key delivery agent of the Government’s National Sports Policy 2018-2027. While the increase in funding continues the commitment to double funding for sport over the life-course of the policy, the additional funding will enable Sport Ireland to continue to make progress in delivering on the actions of the policy. We thank Minister Martin and Minister Chambers and their colleagues in Government, for their ongoing support for sport and physical activity.”
The funding announced by the Ministers is in addition to the €70 million in Covid-19 related funding committed to the sport sector in July 2020; the allocation of this funding will be announced in the coming weeks.
Chief Executive of Sport Ireland, John Treacy, added: “While Covid-19 has dominated over recent weeks and months, we are conscious that work must continue to ensure sport is in a good position when the restrictions are lifted. The certainty provided by this funding allocation will is welcomed by funded bodies and athletes alike. It will bring stability and continuity to high performance programmes, while providing vital supports to Irish athletes in their qualification, preparation and performance at the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games, which will hopefully proceed in 2021.
“The ongoing development of the Sport Ireland Campus is a key priority for Sport Ireland. The capital commitment of €9.7 million to Sport Ireland will ensure the ongoing development of the Sport Ireland Campus and the provision of world-class facilities for our athletes. Our Local Sports Partnerships continue to provide opportunities to people of all ages and backgrounds to participate in sport. The increased funding, including the increase in Dormant Accounts funding, will allow us to introduce new and innovative programmes to more people in harder to reach groups than ever before. We thank Ministers Martin and Chambers and their department officials for their work in securing these much needed funds for sport in Ireland.”
Ends.
For Further Information:
David Gash
Communications Manager, Sport Ireland
dgash@sportireland.ie
087-2277643
Oct 14, 2020
The Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, Catherine Martin TD, and Minister of State, Jack Chambers TD, today (October 14) announced details of €1,081,818 gross funding allocated to the Department in Budget 2021, covering a range of robust new funding streams and measures to ensure the survival and recovery of businesses and operations in sectors overseen by the Department.
Minister Catherine Martin said: “The diverse range of sectors served by this Department have been amongst those most severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Employing many hundreds of thousands of our fellow-citizens, right across the country, these are the sectors that thrive when people congregate to enjoy their leisure time together. They were the first to close as a result of the pandemic, and they are likely to be amongst the last to return to full operations in the future. Our Cultural Institutions and theatres, our tourism destinations, pubs and restaurants, our sporting occasions and our Gaeltacht communities have all been severely hit since March. Many are shut, or are hugely curtailed, yet these activities are the very ones which bring us all joy, and which are crucial for all our physical and mental health.
“This Budget has now put in place a number of substantial measures to support and strengthen these sectors through 2021.
“Of course, we have been in constant dialogue with stakeholders and sectoral representatives throughout the crisis. Together with my officials, I have set up a number of different engagement channels, to ensure that we, as policy-makers, are listening closely to the voice of the cultural practitioner, the hospitality business-owner, the sporting bodies and our Gaeltacht communities. A wide range of targeted and imaginative government supports put in place since March have drawn on this interaction, and have helped sustain activity and employment in these sectors. (Full details are in Appendix.)
“Budget 2021 has been informed by this ongoing strong engagement between my Department and the sectoral representatives. The strong suite of significant measures detailed below is a robust and targeted response to this crisis; it will support resilience and recovery, and will ensure that Ireland will thrive once more on the global stage in the fields of tourism, culture, sport and linguistic heritage, of which we are so proud.
“These are sector-specific measures, and are of course augmented and supplemented by the economy-wide business support and social welfare measures which were announced in the budget, and which my Cabinet colleagues, including Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe, have already gone into further detail.”
KEY SPORT SECTOR HIGHLIGHTS:
Objective: To contribute to a healthier and more active society by promoting sports participation and by supporting high performance and the provision of sport
Budget 2021 – Sport Highlights:
– Sport Ireland allocated €104.5m – up €36m
– Dormant Accounts funding for Sport allocation of €10m – up €2m
– Funding for a new round of the Sports Capital Programme
Current funding support for Sport Ireland programmes has been increased by €26.29 million. This funding will enable Sport Ireland to continue to support the sport sector in 2021, including measures such as:
• Increased funding for high performance sport to ensure our athletes are supported to achieve their potential at the postponed Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games
• Increased core grant funding for our sporting bodies to sustain them through the challenging months to come
• Increased funding for Sport Ireland participation programmes including the innovative online resources which have proved so successful this year
The Government also agreed an increase in Dormant Accounts funding for sport of €2 million bringing the total allocation up to €10 million. This funding will target hard-to-reach communities with innovative projects to promote and sustain participation in sport and physical activity for all.
The Government reaffirmed its commitment to developing the Sport Ireland Campus at Blanchardstown with an increased capital allocation of €9.7 million for 2021.
In relation to capital investment in sports projects, the 2021 provision will allow for a new round of the Sports Capital Programme to open for applications shortly with allocations to be made next year. In addition, resources have been provided in 2021 to progress the first projects allocated funding earlier this year under the new Large Scale Sport Infrastructure Fund.
Funding of almost €6m has been allocated in Budget 2021 to meet existing commitments pertaining to Ireland’s hosting of the Ryder Cup in 2027 and to fund potential future bids for major events. Such events not only have benefits for sport, they can also contribute to economic growth and have the potential to help in Ireland’s recovery from the effects of the COVID19 pandemic.
Minister Chambers said: “This is a very considerable investment in sport and builds on the extensive support package provided to address the Covid challenges to NGBs and clubs in 2020. The funding will increase core grant funding for our sporting bodies to sustain them through the challenging months to come. I know clubs across the country will be looking forward to a new Sports capital programme which will open in near future and the increase in Dormant Accounts funding will promote and sustain participation in sport and physical activity, particularly in hard to reach communities.”
“The Government recognises that it is currently difficult to forecast the impact the COVID-19 pandemic will have on Irish sport in 2021. The Government has shown this year that it is prepared to step in to sustain key landmarks in Irish sporting life and the Government and Sport Ireland will continue to engage closely with the sporting bodies to ensure all necessary support is available in 2021.”
Oct 13, 2020
The Federation of Irish Sport is delighted to welcome Budget 2021’s significant increase in funding for the sport and physical activity sector. The Federation is pleased to see government’s strong recognition of the value of the sport sector and it’s need for continued support and development in line with the National Sports Policy. Today’s announcement not only meets the government’s own commitment to incrementally double funding for the sector by 2027 but is also recognition of the significant challenges facing the sector in light of COVID-19 and the cessation of activity during 2020.
Budget 2021 was a significant milestone on the road to funding and resourcing the sector to achieve the targets set out in the National Sports Policy. In what has been an extraordinarily challenging year for the sector, it is heartening to see the government in the third year of the National Sport Policy build on the previous two years of established funding and extend that support to include recognition of immediate challenges facing the sector. Federation member organisations are committed to the growth and development of sport and physical activity for all and the return on this investment will be evident for all to see.
Speaking about the announcement, Federation CEO Mary O’Connor said, ‘Today has been a watershed moment for sport and physical activity. While government support through the pandemic has been appreciated by members it was also undeniably necessary. We have been calling for the continuation of existing funding commitments for the sector at a time when investment in sport and physical activity is ever more important. Today’s announcement shows government’s strong support of the sector as well as their commitment to deliver on targets set prior to the current crisis. This is a true show of support for the work our member organisations do and the positive impact they can have through the pandemic and beyond. We are pleased to see that the commitment to double funding in line with action 45 of the National Sports Policy has been met and superseded again for 2021. We would like to thank the government for their continued engagement with the Federation and our members on the pertinent issues facing sport and their endorsement today of the important and valuable role sport and physical activity play in Irish society.’
After an advocacy-driven campaign on behalf of its members, which included a comprehensive pre-budget submission, meetings with government officials and an appearance at the Joint Committee for Media, Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport and the Gaeltacht, the Federation of Irish Sport now awaits the publication of a detailed breakdown of allocated funding and looks forward to working with all stakeholders to ensure the continued delivery of sport and physical activity opportunities for all.
ENDS
For further detail or comment please contact sinead.conroy@irishsport.ie
Oct 12, 2020
Cara coordinates, develops and delivers inclusive training and education workshops across the Sport, Fitness, Adventure and Education sectors. All our workshops are designed to equip participants with the knowledge, competence and skills necessary to include people with disabilities in sport and physical activity, and increase quality provision.
CARA are now delivering online training and have a range of workshops to choose from including:
Sport Inclusion and Disability Awareness (90min)
Inclusive Fitness Training (3.5hrs)
Autism in Sport (2.5hrs)
To find out more, go to: https://caracentre.ie/training/
Oct 7, 2020
Today, October 7th, the Federation of Irish Sport accepted an invitation from the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Media, Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport and An Gaeltacht to discuss the impact of COVID-19 on sporting organisations and mass participation events. It was a welcome opportunity to highlight the significant challenges facing a sector that generates €2.7bn in consumer spending each year and employs some 39,500 people.
The impact of COVID-19 has been devastating for clubs and their governing bodies for many reasons, including significant financial losses of up to 70%, reduced provision of programmes and initiatives for participation and cancellation of seasons, leagues and events. Today was an opportunity to illustrate examples of such loss and emphasis the importance of continued government support for the sector building on the previously welcomed €70 support package announced in June.
It also provided a further platform to illustrate our pre-budget asks of government in advance of the publication of the 2021 budget on October 13th. At today’s hearing the Federation reiterated the importance of the National Sports Policy and it’s target trajectory over the next 7 years. The Federation’s single biggest ask is that government continue to deliver on their commitment to incrementally double funding for sport by 2027. While the challenge of COVID-19 has been immense for many organisations, is it essential that the long term future of the sport sector is protected and invested in in order to deliver a brighter future for all who engage with it. While the sector must survive COVID-19 in order to thrive long into the future, commitment by government to build on progress made prior to the pandemic is vital.
Speaking after the committee meeting, Federation of Irish Sport CEO Mary O’Connor said,
‘We are pleased to have the opportunity to appear before the committee today and highlight some of the significant challenges facing our member organisations as they look towards 2021. While COVID-19 has been devastating in 2020, we are also concerned about what 2021 will bring for a sector that relies so heavily on mass participation and bringing people together to take part. We have stressed the importance of continued COVID related supports to build on the government support package of June but we have also demonstrated the need for a continued and sustained increase in funding for sporting organisations. It is essential that core funding is maintained so that when this pandemic begins to retreat, our organisations are ready to build on the very successful position they held heading into 2020 and continue to provide invaluable opportunities for individuals to become healthier, more active members of our society.”
The Federation of Irish Sport’s full budget submission can be found at: https://www.irishsport.ie/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Pre-Budget-Submission-2021.pdf
For further information contact sinead.conroy@irishsport.ie
Oct 7, 2020
The Alliance for Insurance Reform has today launched the second in a series of infographics summarising key facts about the Irish insurance market.
Key new insights from the infographic include:
- Compensation accounts for 42% of the total cost of insurance premiums – by far the biggest component
- Lawyers fees, underwriters profits and brokers’ commissions extract roughly equal amounts from premiums
- Lawyers are the massive winners when a case goes to the courts. Policyholders do not gain from threatening to go to court.
- Insurers have been the big winners from the current crisis, as claims costs held steady but premiums shot up by 42%
Linda Murray, Director of the Alliance and owner of Huckleberry’s Den play centre in Navan said “The figures make it clear that compensation payments are at the heart of our problem. Damages are by far the biggest component of insurance premiums and are a facilitator for every other element, including solicitor’s fees, insurer profitability and brokers’ commissions. General damages for minor fully-recovered injuries must be dramatically reduced. Responsibility for this task is currently with the Personal Injuries Guidelines Committee of the Judicial Council and the Committee is supposed to present draft guidelines to the Board of the Judicial Council by the 28th October. These guidelines are intended to replace the current Book of Quantum. We have installed a countdown clock on the Alliance’s website counting down to that date and we very much look forward to seeing the judiciary reflect the common good in their deliberations. Policyholders cannot wait any longer. We expect general damages for minor injuries to be dramatically reduced along the lines of the Fair Book of Quantum published by ISME.””
Peter Boland, Director of the Alliance said “The analysis in this infographic is intended to add clarity to a crisis that has lacked many real data insights up to now. The lack of clarity has suited attempts by insurers and solicitors to muddy the waters as they fight to protect their massive profits. The analysis was made possible by the publication of the Central Bank’s National Claims Information Database on Private Motor Insurance and we are grateful to the Central Bank for this. But the Central Bank now needs to publish equivalent liability insurance data without any further delay. Insurance reform cannot be directed or measured without data.”
END
Link to Infographic: https://insurancereform.ie/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/AIR-INFOGRAPHIC-No.2-FINAL.pdf
Please contact us if you want a .PDF or .JPG of the infographic
CONTACT:
Peter Boland
