Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 3 April 2019
194. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the number of occasions he has consented to the advancing of additional funds in order for Sport Ireland to perform its duties in the past three years in the context of the Sport Ireland Act 2015; the amount approved; the reason they were requested; the persons or bodies they were to be advanced to; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15607/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn each of the last three years, in line with normal financial procedures and with the consent of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, I approved additional funding for Sport Ireland by way of a transfer of savings which arose in other subheads in my Department's Vote. In addition, in 2018 additional funding was provided to Sport Ireland as part of a supplementary estimate voted by the Dáil in December 2018.
In all cases, the funding was allocated to Sport Ireland. The purpose of the additional funding is outlined below.
In 2016, additional current funding of €1.5m was provided towards the payment of legal bills in a legal case in which Sport Ireland was the defendant. A further €25,000 was provided to allow Sport Ireland to assist Paralympics Ireland in addressing a funding shortfall arising from the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio.
In 2017, additional capital funding of €6.2m was provided for the development of Phase 2 of the National Indoor Arena at the Sport Ireland National Sports Campus. Additional current funding of €1m was provided towards the payment of legal bills in a legal case in which Sport Ireland was the defendant and a further €155,000 was provided to meet some staffing related costs.
In 2018, additional funding of €2.6m was provided to Sport Ireland as part of a supplementary estimate voted by the Dáil. Of this amount, €1.5m was provided for high performance sport and was allocated by Sport Ireland to a range of National Governing Bodies to assist athletes’ preparations for major competitions including the 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Tokyo and key World Championship events. The balance of €1.12m was provided towards other commitments and programme costs, including the Irish Open Golf, Paralympics Ireland funding, the anti-doping programme and the women in sport programme.
A further €1.3m was provided in 2018 from savings which arose elsewhere in my Department's Vote in order to ease current expenditure pressures by Sport Ireland in 2019, including support for National Governing Bodies’ high performance programmes, participation programmes, field sport programmes and events.
