Bad news on funding for HSI, and more may be on the way
The Sports Council yesterday announced that its core allocation for 2011 would be reduced to €827,974, from €890,295 in 2010. It is the second year for core funding to be cut, following a €99,000 hit last year on the 2009 figure.
The Council’s high performance input for equestrian sport is also down, coming in at €540,000. Last year, it amounted to €600,000, the same as in 2009.
In a statement, HSI chairman Joe Walsh said that, while no organisation likes to receive a cut in funding, it had to be seen in the context of the financial situation the country finds itself in.
“The reduction in our core grant of 7% will certainly pose challenges. We are constantly striving to reduce our overheads and administration costs and, in previous years, this limited the impact of funding reductions on our programmes. In an ideal world, we would be holding back some of our income each year to accumulate a reserve, but since we became the governing body in 2008, we have taken a view, given the current economic climate, that all available resources should be invested in equestrian programmes and activities. Our finance committee will be meeting next week to consider the impact of the reduction,” said the Corkman.
HSI, nevertheless, remains one of the biggest beneficiaries of state largess, its core funding putting it behind special Olympics Ireland, the Athletic Association of Ireland and Swim Ireland. In addition, the reduced funding for HSI is part of a total cut of almost €1.2m imposed by the Sports Council for all governing bodies.
As regards the high performance reduction, HSI chief executive, Damian McDonald said: “While we had a lot of very good results last year we did not qualify an eventing or show jumping team for the Olympics at the World Equestrian Games. High performance is a results-based business and we need to focus all of our efforts on trying to qualify for 2012 at this year’s European Championships in Luhmühlen (eventing) and Madrid (show jumping).
ISC spokesman Paul McDermott said a lot would depend on performance at the championships.
“Part of the issue, is that targets apply to the European Championships in the autumn. If those prove successful, high performance funding will be geared up for the London Olympics. Our door is open, subject to the riders doing well in the championships.
“Fundamentally, horse sport is still a priority with the potential there at the highest level. We recognise, too, that it is an expensive sport and, despite the cuts, the allocation remains substantial.”
Meanwhile, Eventing Ireland chairman John Wright yesterday confirmed that the body has not made any decision about providing high-performance funding to HSI this year. Wright said: “As a courtesy, we have informed HSI that our financial position may mean that we may not have any money to give them. Eventing Ireland has not yet finalised its budget for 2011. In 2010, we made a profit of €3,000, plus a once-off income item of €8,000.
“There is little reason to believe that 2011 will be, in the current economic climate, any better. We have also, potentially, some heavy new expenditures, particularly a salary for a manager, a new IT system, an anti-doping programme and a desire to increase expenditure on national venue improvements. Accordingly, we have advised HSI that there may be an affordability issue. A full decision will be made on how we best allocate our funding by the board of EI as soon as we have all the necessary information.”
Last year, EI’s high performance contribution amounted to €75,000, while in 2009 it was €105,000 and in 2008, €115,000. Wright explained last year’s reduction: “Up to the end of 2009, included in that figure was €25,000 collected from squad members. In 2010, HSI collected that money directly from the squad members, which accounts for the EI reduction last year.”
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