Federation of Irish Sport welcomes investment in Sport in Budget 2020

On behalf of the Federation on Irish Sport CEO Mary O’Connor would like to welcome the 2020 Budget for Sport and Physical Activity and to thank you all for the work that you do

• Government allocates €125m to sport, representing a €5.5 million increase on 2019
• Additional current funding to support National Governing Bodies of Sport (NGBs) and Local Sports Partnerships (LSPs) in advancing the actions outlined in the National Sports Policy 2027
• High-performance sport in Ireland receives an additional €2 million allocated to support preparations for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Reflecting on Budget 2020, Federation of Irish Sport CEO Mary O’Connor, said:

“We welcome the increase of €5.5 million in sports funding in Budget 2020.  Most notably, we welcome within the overall budget an increase in the allocation of €65.6 million in current expenditure.

In July 2018, the Government published its first ever National Sports Policy which set out a ten-year plan to enhance and develop sport and physical activity in Ireland.  The National Sports Policy 2018-2027 enshrined in policy the integral role played by the National Governing Bodies of Sport (NGBs) and Local Sports Partnerships (LSPs) in delivering on the Government’s vision for sport in Ireland.  The increased funding for our NGBs and LSPs, as outlined in Tuesday’s 2020 Budget will have a significant impact in funding the people and programmes that allow sport to happen across the country each week.

Sport matters.  It is an essential contributor to the Exchequer, the community, social inclusivity and participation, health, and tourism.  Critically, investing in sport makes sound economic sense also.

Earlier this month, the Federation of Irish Sport, in partnership with Investec, published a research report into the economic value of sport to the Irish economy.  The report stated that for every €100 invested in sport by Government, the Exchequer receives up to €195 in tax revenues on sports-supported expenditures and incomes.

This clear economic rationale highlights how the increased State funding for sport in Budget 2020 will be of benefit to the Exchequer in the long term.

We look forward to working with the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Shane Ross TD, the Minister of State for Tourism and Sport, Brendan Griffin TD, and their departmental colleagues in delivering upon the actions laid out in the National Sports Policy 2027 and ensuring its long-term success.”