Funding boost for top Irish athletes

Ireland’s top athletes received a boost in their bid for glory at World and European level today through a €7m funding package.

World Indoor Champion Derval O’Rourke, European bronze boxing medalist Kenneth Egan and World Champion boxer Katie Taylor are among a host of sport stars benefiting.

Fifteen sports will receive €5.245m for their plans, while athletes and teams will receive €2m under a separate scheme.

John Treacy, chief executive of the Irish Sports Council, said: “We saw many excellent performances in 2006 at championship level across a number of sports.

“That was thrilling to see and very encouraging for the future. The squads we are investing in today have plenty of internal competition; more reasons to be optimistic for the future.”

Ms O’Rourke, Mr Egan and the Lightweight Four rowing World Cup Champions were moved to the top funding category of Contracted World Class, after last year’s strong performances.

Sports Minister John O’Donoghue said: “In January of this year, I announced Irish Sports Council funding of €9.5m in core grant support to the National Governing Bodies of sport. I make this point because it is very difficult for a high performance element of a sport to deliver to world class standard from within a weak organisation.

“The council has worked to improve the levels of governance and administration within sport. It is not surprising, therefore, that many sports that have progressed on this basis are also enjoying improvement in performance standards at various levels.

“The focus this year begins to shift towards Beijing 2008. We must also take a longer strategic view. The fact that London will be hosting the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2012 provides us with a realistic target for our sports programmes to deliver and we will work towards that date.”

Around one million euro more is being spent this year than on the same programmes in 2006.

The biggest investment was in the sports of rowing, hockey, athletics and boxing in recognition of their potential for turning out international championship performers.

Ossie Kilkenny, chairman of the Irish Sports Council, said: “€7.285m is significant investment by the council. It is based on improvements being made in elite sport over the past number of years.

“Critically the institute is developing close collaborative relationships with governing bodies and athletes that directly meet the needs of the best performers.”

Some of the key events targeted this year include the World Boxing Championships in Moscow in September, the World Athletics Championships in Osaka and the World Rowing Championships in Munich, both in August.

Other athletes receiving funding include Jason Smyth, Paralympic Athletics Double World Champion; Michael McKillop also a Paralympic World Champion and John McCarthy who took a World Bronze at the paralympic competition.