Dec 16, 2016
The Federation of Irish Sport is delighted to announce that our Annual Review 2016 was officially released today (Friday, 16th December).
The Review, which was penned and published by the Federation of Irish Sport, provides a thorough overview of the wide and varied successes enjoyed by Irish sport over the past 12 months.
In the Review, you can read about the positive influence sport has had in areas such as health, the economy, enhancing Ireland’s reputation worldwide and social inclusion, proving the value of continued government support and investment.
The Review also includes a comprehensive Members’ Appendix where you can learn about how each and every cent of taxpayer’s money given to the country’s National Governing Bodies of Sport and Local Sports Partnerships (through Sport Ireland) is being put to great use.
To view or download the Annual Review 2016, click here.
Please note that we have a limited number of hard copies of the Annual Review available for collection to members at our office in Irish Sport HQ. Please contact Emira O’Neill for more information – emira.oneill@irishsport.ie
Oct 27, 2016
The Federation of Irish Sport, the representative body for the majority of Ireland’s national Olympic sporting organisations, is calling for transparency from the Olympic Council of Ireland (OCI) today (Thursday, 27th October 2016) ahead of its Executive Board Meeting this evening.
Due to commence at 18:00, it is understood that on the agenda at this evening’s meeting will be the review of Deloitte’s independent report into the governance of the OCI.
The Federation of Irish Sport, on behalf of its members, is demanding that the OCI make the report available in full to its 36 member federations immediately after the meeting has concluded and that the report also be published in full.
Chief Executive of the Federation of Irish Sport, James Galvin said:
“The OCI has been in crisis since the Rio Olympics and has severely damaged its relationship with Irish sport. This report will provide the first insight into what went wrong with its governance and how it can begin to be repaired.”
He continued “We believe that without open, honest and timely communication from the OCI, rehabilitating the organisation cannot happen. This first step needs to be transparency with its stakeholders about the Deloitte report.”
Oct 24, 2016
Budget 2017 confirmed that Sport Ireland funding, which supports the participation and high performance programmes of 74 National Sports Organisations and 26 Local Sports Partnerships as well as Coaching Ireland, the Institute of Sport, the National Sports Campus and Sport Ireland’s own research, anti-doping, and trails programme, is to remain static at the 2016 level of €47.266 million.
This contrasts with the €6 million increase in funding awarded to the Horse & Greyhound Fund next year, the third consecutive increase awarded to horse and greyhound racing by Minister for Finance, Michael Noonan. Government funding for horse and greyhound racing at €64 million for 2017 now exceeds the pre-recession peak of €62.6 million reached in 2008.
Current funding for sport remains someway off its 2008 peak of €57 million. This is despite the reality that sport and physical activity have a key role to play in public health with physical inactivity estimated to contribute up to 11% of the overall health spend, to the economy in supporting an estimated 40,000 jobs in Ireland, to tourism in generating up to €1 billion in revenue for Ireland each year, to active citizenship with more than 500,000 Irish adults volunteering in sport each year and to Ireland’s reputation with 89% of people believing sport has a positive effect on Ireland’s reputation.
Indeed, the stagnant funding levels is in reality a reduction when the impact of the two new programmes to which Sport Ireland is already committed are taken into account namely, the financial support for the Women’s Gaelic Players Association and the operating subsidy for the National Sports Campus.
Speaking of the decision not to increase funding, Chief Executive of the Federation of Irish Sport James Galvin said:
“There is a strong feeling amongst our members that it is time that the Government took sport seriously. In recent years, there has been acknowledgement of the role sport and physical activity plays in public health as evidenced through the publication of the National Physical Activity Plan, talk of the importance of participation, commendation of the role of volunteers in delivering grassroots sport and no shortage of congratulations when Irish athletes perform on the world stage.
“Yet when it comes to securing current funding for sport either through the direct allocation of funds or the introduction of initiatives to incentivise private sector investment in sport there has been little change. This is a source of great disappointment to our members who are working hard to achieve their dual mandate of increasing participation and allowing Irish athletes with talent to achieve on the world stage.”
Irish Sport bodies do welcome the confirmation that there will be another Sports Capital Programme next year to assist with the development, maintenance and upkeep of sports facilities and equipment right around the country. The continued development of the National Sports Campus is also welcome although there are concerns as to whether the second phase of the National Indoor Arena will proceed given the overall reduction in capital funding, as well as questions being raised about the future funding of operations at the Campus.
Chief Executive James Galvin stating:
“Whilst it is always welcome to see funding for sport be it capital or current to Irish Sport Organisations, we believe that it is current funding over capital investment that has the real potential to be transformative to Irish Sport. This is supported by international research which has found that people and programmes are more important to participation than facilities. Our members are also concerned that the National Sports Campus, a very welcome addition to the national infrastructure, will not be completed given the pressures likely to come on capital spending centrally and indeed, that the facilities already constructed will be sufficiently well funded to operate.”
Sep 13, 2016
The Irish Ice Hockey Association (IIHA) has announced their recent submission for membership of Sport Ireland has been successful.A member of the Federation of Irish Sport, the IIHA submitted the application to the Board of Sport Ireland through their Eligibility Committee.
In line with the Sport Ireland National Governing Body recognition process, the IIHA will now undergo a probationary period of two years. During this period the IIHA, will work closely with Sport Ireland, Coaching Ireland and the National Governing Body management team in order to ensure that the IIHA meets all requirements of a ratified sports organisation.
The process of ratification will be a primary focus of the IIHA over the coming 2 year probationary period, along with the continued development of the sport of ice hockey in Ireland over the years and decades to come.
The IIHA submission was a significant undertaking which demanded a root and branch analysis. The IIHA review of its Constitution in 2015 and the substantial increased focus on the development of the sport were just two points which made the case for membership more appealing.
Aug 26, 2016
Media Release – Statement
Friday 26th August, 2016
As the representative body for the National Governing Bodies of sport (NGBs) in Ireland, we feel it is important to put the achievements of our Olympic team into perspective. Despite the various controversies that arose in relation to the Olympic Games in Rio, the fact is that these were one of the most successful Games for Ireland and for the sportsmen and sportswomen that comprised Team Ireland. With perhaps one exception, any controversies were not of the athletes’ making, and while this has been recognised by some, it is the belief of the Federation that the achievements of our athletes deserve more widespread praise and acclamation.
The team represented our country with pride, passion and success. Our athletes’ performances were a direct reflection of the funding they have received from the government, namely the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport. This monetary support, which is overseen both by the individual NGBs of the sports in question and by Sport Ireland, plays a vital role in the success of elite sport in Ireland. In particular, we should celebrate the fact that:
- With 77 sportsmen and sportswomen involved, that this was our largest team since that of London in 1948
- Our female athletes comprised a third of this team
- We won two silver medals in rowing and sailing – our first ever medal in rowing and only our second ever in sailing
- We had 14 top ten finishes – that is 14 of the team finished in the top ten in their respective events
- We were represented in 14 different sports
- Many of the team set new Irish records, whilst even more achieved new personal bests
- Our hockey team (our first to qualify since 1908) narrowly lost 2-3 to the ultimate winners Argentina
- Thomas Barr broke his own Irish record twice before losing out on a medal by 5/100ths of a second
- Robert Heffernan competed in his 5th Olympics, finishing 6th in the 50km walk
- Oliver Dingley qualified for the final in the 3m springboard diving competition. He was the first Irish diver to reach the Olympics since 1948
- Ireland won its first ever men’s badminton matches at an Olympics when Scott Evans made it to the last 16
- We had representatives in female gymnastics and track cycling for the very first time.
Our team did the country proud, and once again our sportsmen and sportswomen were great ambassadors for the nation. They deserve to be celebrated, not alone for their achievements over the past two weeks, but also for their dedication over the years as they put in the time and effort that allows them to compete at the highest of levels. Their performances must also be shared by the many coaches, officials, the support staff at the Irish Institute of Sport and the volunteers who, week-in week-out, make sport happen in Ireland. Without them, there would be no Olympic athletes to fill us with pride.
And while the Federation does recognise that there were controversies that will undoubtedly continue to generate publicity, they are not the athletes’ story and nor should they be.
We should now turn our attention to the Paralympic Games and to the 46 athletes who will be representing Ireland in Rio from the 7th to the 18th September. They also filled us with pride during the London Games in 2012, and we have no doubt that they will do the same in Rio. Let the nation now get behind them and celebrate all that makes sport important to our country. We wish them well.
-ENDS-
For reference, contact:
Cian Murray, Communications Executive
Federation of Irish Sport,
Irish Sport HQ,
National Sports Campus,
Blanchardstown,
Dublin 15.
T: (01) 687 1665 / 083 467 9464
E: cian.murray@irishsport.ie
Aug 24, 2016
Now that the curtain has drawn on Rio 2016, Irish sport can reflect on what has been a largely successful Olympic Games for Team Ireland, writes James Galvin.
We have had some wonderful achievements at these Games. Many of our athletes broke national records and achieved career bests, making Irish sporting history in doing so.
The performance (and antics) of brothers Gary and Paul O’Donovan will long live in the memory. Not only did the Skibbereen pair show spectacular athleticism in claiming silver in the lightweight double sculls rowing, they also emerged as Irish heroes with their charisma, charm and wit. This was Ireland’s first ever Olympic medal in rowing, and I think it is safe to say that we certainly haven’t seen the last of the brothers ‘pulling like dogs’ on the international stage.
And who could forget Annalise Murphy, who bounced back terrifically from her disappointment in London four years ago to win silver in the Laser Radial. The delight on the Dun Laoghaire native’s face when she stepped up on the podium at Martina de Gloria melted the hearts of the nation. After coming so agonisingly close in London, nobody could deny her this success.
Team Ireland at the Rio 2016 Opening Ceremony
In athletics, Thomas Barr came within 0.05 seconds of a bronze medal in the 400m hurdles, breaking his own national record in the process. Fionnuala McCormack and Paul Pollock performed admirably in the marathon, finishing 20th and 32nd respectively. Rob Heffernan followed up his bronze medal from London with a 6th place finish in the 50km walk in the scorching Rio sunshine, while Brendan Boyce also finished in the top 20. An honourable mention must also go out to Sara Treacy, who qualified for the 3,000m steeplechase final.
Elsewhere, Ireland won its first ever men’s badminton matches at an Olympic Games when Scott Evans qualified for the last 16. The scenes of his wild, shirtless celebrations will live on in our memories for years to come. In cycling, Dan Martin finished an impressive 13th in the men’s road race and in rowing Claire Lambe and Sinead Jennings came 6th in the lightweight double sculls final.
Another big success for Ireland came in the pool, when 23 year-old Oliver Dingley defied the odds by qualifying for the 3m springboard final and finishing 8th. Dingley was the first Irish diver to qualify for the Olympics since 1948. The Irish also finished 8th in the Eventing Team final in a team made up of Clare Abbott, Jonty Evans, Mark Kyle and Padraig McCarthy. Judy Reynolds also made it to the dressage final.
Annalise Murphy celebrates her Laser Radial silver medal
The men’s hockey team made it to the Olympics for the first time since 1908, and were the only non-professional team competing in the tournament. Ryan Seaton and Matt McGovern finished 10th in the final of the men’s 49er. And over the last few days of the Games, Natalya Coyle and Arthur Lanigan O’Keefe finished 7th and 8th in the modern pentathlon.
Other notable achievements included Fionnuala McCormack, who clocked 2:31:22 in the marathon, knocking 22 seconds off her personal best in the process. We also had our first ever female gymnast and track cyclist at the Games in Ellis O’Reilly and Shannon McCurley, and an honourable mention must also go out to gymnast Kieran Behan who performed fantastically despite suffering a serious knee injury.
So although it may not have shown in our final medal count, Team Ireland did enjoy significant improvements across the board. Our team of 77 athletes was the largest Ireland has sent to an Olympics since 1948, and when you consider that 127 of the 205 nations who attended the Games have gone home empty handed, we have without a doubt punched above our weight on the international stage once again. The return on investment in Irish sport is clear to see.
But, as we know, the benefit of sport to society stretches far beyond those competing at the elite level. People who regularly partake in sport enjoy huge improvements to their personal health and wellbeing, both physically and mentally. Indeed, those who take part in sport are, on average, 14 years younger in health terms.
Sport extends across virtually every county, town and village in the country, with more than 500,000 volunteers taking part in it nationwide. Therefore, sport is a huge player in both social inclusion and community development.
Thomas Barr breaks a national record in the 400m hurdles
And that’s not all. Sport also stimulates the economy in a variety of different ways. It supports 40,000 jobs across every constituency in Ireland and it generates a massive €1.9 billion in household spending annually. Sport is also responsible for €1 billion in annual tourism receipts.
The Federation and its members are working tirelessly throughout the country in promoting the wide and varied benefits of sport. Our members’ work has contributed tenfold to a healthier Ireland, both economically and personally. And their success at the Olympics proves that investment in sport is, in fact, working and Ireland is reaping the benefits.
So congratulations to all of Team Ireland, their coaches, support staff, families and friends on a memorable Olympic Games. And best of luck to all of the Irish athletes taking part in the upcoming Paralympic Games. We are already looking forward Tokyo 2020.
James Galvin is the CEO of the Federation of Irish Sport – The Voice of Irish Sport. Follow the Federation on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.
