In Tuesday’s Budget 2023 announcements by Finance and Public Expenditure Ministers, Irish sport was awarded an increase of just €8m.
The modest financial injection for Irish sport was part of a €135 million package shared with the tourism, culture, arts, Gaeltacht and media sectors.
€4 million of the €8 million for sport goes to a “High Performance Coaching Fund” for Olympic and Paralympic athletes.
The remainder consists of investments to support the implementation of the Sport Action Plan 2021-2023 to expand its Sport for All programme.
Further details will be given by Minister Catherine Martin and Junior Minister Jack Chambers from the Department for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media on Wednesday.
Additional fuel and energy improvements are due to be announced in the coming months and through the expected further onset of the energy crisis through to a more comprehensive funding package for sports clubs and swimming pools, heating and lighting.
Tuesday’s budget announcements dealt a serious blow to sports organizations after proposals to reform tax levies on gambling and sugar taxes are expected to be rejected.
The Federation of Irish Sport (FIS) is seeking to redistribute some of the revenue from betting taxes and sugar taxes, requesting that 2.25 per cent of all gambling taxes and 4.5 per cent of sugar drinks taxes would go to the organisation.
In a statement to the The Department for Sport said it would continue to look into proposals from the Irish Sport Federation to generate revenue from both sectors, but ultimately it was about revenue.
In its preliminary budget proposal last week, the FIS also called for a reform of the insurance sector in order to reduce premiums for athletes.
While all signs point to a refusal, there was a glimmer of hope after the sport department said it would remain in constant contact with the FIS on all matters.
“The matters raised by the Confederation of Irish Sport in relation to taxation must be examined by the Treasury in consultation with the Revenue Commissioners,” said the Department for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media.
“The Department will continue to work with the Federation of Irish Sport to explore possible ways in which tax reform can support the drive for more diversity in funding in Irish sport.”
In what is likely to be seen as a setback for Sport Ireland, the latest phase of Sport Ireland Campus development has not been allocated funds from the 2023 budget for the expected development of a velodrome on the north Dublin site.
The €8 million announced yesterday comes on top of a €1.1 billion budget currently going into sport, tourism, culture, arts, Gaeltacht and media.
The current increase represents core funding for all sectors of €45 million, along with a temporary fund of €90 million to help consolidate the recovery from the pandemic.
During his announcements for sport and other sectors, Minister Michael McGrath said action was needed to help sport recover from the devastation of the sector by Covid-19.
“These sectors are making progress in the post-pandemic recovery phase, with the easing of restrictions attendance and participation rates have improved but remain below pre-Covid levels,” he said.
“I am aware that these areas will have to be supported again next year.
“Therefore, I am not only providing €45 million in additional core funding to support these sectors, I am also providing €90 million in interim funding over the next year to solidify their recovery from the pandemic.”
Sport Secretary Jack Chambers welcomed the budget measures for sport despite their seemingly modest size.
He said the energy cost savings package, which will be detailed on Wednesday, is “a new multimillion-dollar funding package to help sports clubs facing rising energy costs to support floodlights, indoor facilities and swimming pools for winter operations.”
He added: “I’m proud that the 2023 budget will serve sport so that we can increase participation across society, support our best and brightest sports talent, and improve our sports infrastructure and facilities across the country.”
The Federation of Irish Sport and Sport Ireland both said they were not in a position to comment on the 2023 budget until full details were given to them at Wednesday’s briefing.
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