Sports grants take 5% hit

SPECIAL OLYMPICS have been hit hardest with e343,919 cut from their 2009 funding but with total funding amounting to e11.47m, budgetary cuts fell well short of the feared 8% when Government grants to sports’ governing bodies were announced by the Irish Sports Council (ISC) yesterday.

In fact the e11.47m to 58 sports bodies represents a reduction of 5% on the equivalent figure for 2008. Thirty sports saw their grants maintained at 2008 levels while three received an increase and 25 were hit with a reduction.

The core grant for Special Olympics Ireland has been reduced by 10% but, according to the ISC, this was negotiated and agreed with Special Olympics Ireland in advance of the allocations being decided. At e2.5 million, the grant to Special Olympics still remains by far the single biggest core grant to any sports organisation in Ireland.