Special Olympics body seeks funds hike

Special Olympics Ireland is seeking a major increase in state funding in this December's budget.

In its pre-budget submission to Minister for Finance Brian Cowen, the sporting body is seeking €3.3m per year to help fund its training programmes over the next five years.

It says it will have to raise up to €5m itself every year unless the Government radically increases funding.

The organisation says the taxpayer provides just under 14% of what is needed to maintain Special Olympics activities for more than 11,000 athletes with learning disabilities, while most major sporting groups in Ireland are 80% government-funded.