Call for Olympic athletes to get tax breaks to train here

OLYMPIC athletes should be given tax breaks to train here ahead of next year’s London games, a committee has urged.

Such a scheme could see the tourist industry receive a timely boost, according to the Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Transport, Tourism and Sport.

Finance Minister Michael Noonan is to be lobbied by the committee to bring in a tax break which would allow athletes to recoup tax paid in Ireland on items such as accommodation, food and drink and travel.

The move is needed as the expected boost for Ireland in having the Olympics so close has so far not materialised, according to the committee’s chairman Ciarán Lynch.

“When it was first announced that London was to host the 2012 Olympics, it was anticipated that it would be a huge benefit for Ireland’s sporting facilities given our proximity to the games’ location.

“However, to date this has not quite materialised,” he said.

“So far just four teams have committed to using Ireland as a pre- games training base. In Britain, Olympic teams are being offered grants of up to £25,000 to use training facilities in Britain. While the current economic situation does not enable Ireland to offer such generous financial assistance, I believe the committee’s creative idea could help encourage Olympians to use some of our elite sports venues.

“I think it would be a wonderful achievement if we could attract a number of foreign national teams through such a measure. It would allow us to showcase our elite sports bases and our country. It would also highlight Ireland as a great showcase for future international sporting events,” he added.

Mr Lynch said Ireland’s expertise in organising sporting events should not be allowed to go unused in the run-up to next summer’s Olympics.

“Ireland’s hosting of previous events such as the Special Olympics, the Ryder Cup and this year’s Europa League final show that we have something to offer in terms of sporting infrastructure and organisation,” he said.

The Hungarian and British Water polo teams have used the National Aquatic Centre in Dublin in the past and the US synchronised swimming team and British paralympic swimming squads have committed to using the National Aquatic Centre prior to London 2012.