Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 5 December 2023
278. Deputy Alan Dillon asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if her Department has provided financial support for the staging of any major sporting events over the past ten years; to list in tabular form, each event, the amount allocated, for what measures; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53347/23]
View answerIn addition to the regular major sports events organised by the various National Governing Bodies of Sport, Govenment input has played a role in the hosting of major sporting events of varying sizes across many sports since the Grand Départ of the Tour de France in 1998.
These events have included events with a strong focus on tourism such as the US College Classic American football games which attract tens of thousands of visitors from the US and beyond, high performance sports events that give Irish athletes a chance to compete at the top level on home soil and develop their potential such as the 2021 European Cross Country Championships and larger events with a wider impact that require more significant State support that goes beyond sport and tourism such as the Special Olympics in 2003 and the Ryder Cup in 2006.
These events were supported and delivered through a number of different agencies, Government Departments, Local Authorities, National Governing Bodies of Sport (NGBs), State Agencies and other bodies. Support has included direct funding and assistance with issues such as policing and transport.
In addition to direct support from Government, Fáilte Ireland and Sport Ireland, two agencies that come under my Department's remit, have supported a range of major international sports events. With regard to specific expenditure by Fáilte Ireland or Sport Ireland on such events, these are operational matters for Fáilte Ireland, as the National Tourism Development Authority, and Sport Ireland, as the National Sport Development Authority. Neither I, nor my Department, has any role in decisions by the Authority regarding its operational funding priorities and related expenditure.
A centrally coordinated government approach to the hosting of major events was formalised with the establishment in 2019 of a dedicated Major Events Division in the Department. The establishment of this Division built on the experience of both the bids and hosting preparations for major events such as the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2017, EURO 2020 and Ryder Cup 2027 and the bid for the 2023 Rugby World Cup. The Division has responsibility for the co-ordination of Government support and input into bids for major sports events and the delivery of support for the delivery and hosting of major events.
The Programme for Government provides for the development of a strategy to identify the type of major sporting events that we can and should bid for, and how these events can be used to increase sporting participation, encourage domestic and international tourism, and promote Ireland. Officials in the Department are currently developing proposals for a Major Sports Events policy and strategy. Minister Martin and I intend to publish the policy in 2024.
In terms of the funding that has been allocated to such major sporting events since my Department was established in its current configuration in 2020, the details of the funding and its purpose are set out below in tabular format.
|
Years |
Project |
Amount in Euro |
Purpose of funding |
|
2020-2023 |
Ryder Cup 2027 |
€19,147,407 |
Hosting fees, Support for PGA European Tour events in Ireland, Marketing fees |
|
2023 |
Euro 2028 |
€262,961 |
Budget Assurance Report, 50% of Bid costs to date for the Irish portion of the overall bid |
