Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 21 February 2023
114. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the steps her Department is taking to ensure that sports clubs and associations in disadvantaged areas receive adequate support and funding to meet their rising energy and operational costs. [8406/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraSport Ireland, which is funded by my Department, is the statutory body with responsibility for the development of sport. Its general funding programmes and activities contribute positively to sports clubs and associations in disadvantaged communities. A current funding allocation of €89.7 million has been announced for Sport Ireland in Budget 2023. This allocation will enable Sport Ireland to continue to support the sport sector this year.
I recently joined Sport Ireland to announce funding allocations of over €26 million to the National Governing Bodies of Sport (NGBs) and Local Sports Partnerships for 2023, as follows:
- €16 million allocated to 58 NGBs in Core Funding
- €10.3 million has been provided for 29 Local Sports Partnerships.
The NGB core grant covers the implementation of strategic plans and participation programmes, coach development, the hosting of events, the employment of professional staff and the administration costs of developing and delivering the sport
In recognition of the additional pressures that sporting organisations have experienced as a result of increased energy costs, €35 million has been made available through the Sports Energy Support Scheme (SESS) to help alleviate the impact on organisations with a view to ensuring that everyone can continue to enjoy the benefits of sport and physical activity over the winter months. The SESS is being run by Sport Ireland and the funding is being distributed in the main through the National Governing Bodies of Sport. The Scheme will support sporting organisations with the rising energy costs associated with the provision of sport, for example around increased indoor activity and the provision of outdoor floodlighting, with a particular emphasis on sports clubs with dedicated facilities.
Sport Ireland continues to engage with sporting organisations on an ongoing basis and is continuing to support the sector in its recovery and development post-pandemic. Significant Government funding of over €162 million has been provided since 2020 to help sports organisations to recover and grow post-pandemic, support our grassroots networks of clubs and local sports partnerships, and ensure that people of all ages and abilities return to sport and physical activity. The levels of active and social participation in sport have not yet returned to pre-Covid levels. In recognition of the ongoing challenges, funding of €15 million was again made available in December 2022 to support the sector.
The Dormant Accounts Fund (DAF) sports programme is also operated by Sport Ireland on behalf of my Department and is the primary funding stream deployed exclusively to promote increased sports participation amongst disadvantaged communities and people with a disability. This programme provides financial supports to a wide range of locally inspired community projects undertaken by local sports clubs, associations and other interested parties generally, under the active guidance of the Local Sports Partnerships. In 2023, the total amount of DAF funding being allocated for such projects is €12 million, more than twice the amount available a number of years ago.
