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Sports Funding

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 1 October 2020

Thursday, 1 October 2020

Questions (122)

Brendan Griffin

Question:

122. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Media, Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport and the Gaeltacht her views on the importance of investment in sport as set out in the national sports policy; if she will continue to increase investment in sport along the trajectory established in budgets 2019 and 2020 following the publication of the national sports policy; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27747/20]

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Written answers

I recognise the importance of sport and physical activity for our society and the need to ensure that opportunities are in place to allow all members of society to participate in sport.  

The implementation of the actions set out National Sports Policy 2018-2027 is key to achieving our vision for sport in Ireland by 2027. The three main policy aims of the National Sports Policy 2018-2027 are to increase participation by children and adults from all sectors of society, to have more Irish athletes and teams systematically and fairly achieving world-class results at the highest level of international competition, and to improve capacity to have Irish sporting bodies with strong leadership, ethics and governance at all levels, professionals and volunteers suitably trained and developed, and modernised working methods and systems.

The ambition is to increase investment in sport over the 10-year lifetime of the National Sports Policy, to reach an annual level that exceeds €220 million by 2027. This figure is approximately double the funding allocated to sport in 2018. Additional funding was allocated for sport in the 2019 and 2020 budgets. This demonstrates the commitment that exists to achieving this ambition.

This increased investment in sport is showing a real return, with improved performances by our high performance athletes and a marked increase in participation across the population, including in hard-to-reach communities. 

As the Deputy will be aware, just last week a further €7.3 million in funding support has been allocated from the Dormant Accounts Fund for sports programmes throughout the country, with the objective of increasing participation in sport and physical activity in disadvantaged communities and by people with disabilities.

I am confident that the Government's investment in sport will continue to deliver a real impact and that in the coming years, there will be further increases in funding for sport with a view to achieving the ambition set out in the National Sports Policy.

As the Deputy will be aware, any additional funding for sport in 2021 is subject to the Estimates 2021 process, which is underway.  I will be aiming to achieve the best outcome for sport as part of that process.

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