The announcement includes €96.2m in current funding for Sport Ireland, an increase of €4.3m and an increase of Dormant accounts funding from €10m to 12m which will target hard-to-reach communities with innovative projects to promote and sustain participation in sport and physical activity for all.  Budget 2022 also allocated funding to the Sport Ireland Campus at Blanchardstown with a capital allocation of €9.6m for 2022.

In relation to capital support for sports projects, it has been indicated that next year’s additional funding will cover all existing commitments plus significant new allocations under the Sports Capital and Equipment Programme. The new allocations will be announced in the coming months.

CEO of the Federation of Irish Sports said

‘the budget announcement today follows on from a commitment of a substantive €65m covid investment fund in recent days. We believe that investment by government into sport and physical activity has a strong return in terms of the economy, health and emotional wellbeing to Ireland and this belief has been evidenced in a recent report by Sport Ireland which estimates that the total value of sport to Ireland in economic terms is €3.7bn (GVA). Finally, I would like to thank Ministers Martin and Chambers and all at government for securing this funding and we look forward to 2022 with a determination matched only by our ambition for a thriving sporting environment’