Modest €8m increase for Sport in €135m budget package
WELCOMED MEASURES: Jack Chambers TD., Government Chief Whip and Minister of State for Gaeltacht Affairs and Sport. Pic: Moya Nolan
An increase of just €8m has been awarded to Irish sport in Tuesday's Budget 2023 announcements by the Ministers for Finance and Public Expenditure.
The modest injection for Irish sport was part of an overall package of €135m which will be shared with the Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht and Media sectors.
€4m of the €8m for sport is made up of a High Performance ‘coaching fund’ for Olympic and Paralympic athletes.
The remainder consists of investment to assist with the implementation of the Sports Action Plan 2021-2023, to increase its ‘Sport for All’ programme.
Further details will be announced Wednesday by Minister Catherine Martin and Junior Minister Jack Chambers at the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media.
Additional fuel and energy enhancements are set to be revealed as far as a wider funding package for sports clubs and swimming pools, for heating and lighting during the coming months, and through the expected further onset of the energy crisis.
Tuesday's budget announcements represented a significant blow to sports organisations, after proposals to reform tax measures of duty from gambling and sugar taxes, look set to be rejected.
The Federation of Irish Sport (FIS) is seeking the reallocation of a portion of betting tax and sugar tax revenues, in which it requested 2.25 per cent of all gambling duty and 4.5 per cent of sugar drinks taxation would go to the organisation.
In a statement to the the Department of Sport said it would continue to explore the proposals by the Federation of Irish Sport to gain income from both sectors, but ultimately the issue was one for Revenue.
In its pre-budget submission last week the FIS had also sought reform of the insurance sector to reduce premiums for athletes.
While the indications all point towards rejection, there was some glimmer of hope after the Department of Sport said that it would continue to communicate with the FIS, around all matters, on an ongoing basis.
“The matters raised by the Federation of Irish Sport in relation to taxation are a matter for consideration by the Department of Finance, in consultation with the Revenue Commissioners,” the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sports and Media said.
“The Department will continue to engage with the Federation of Irish Sport to explore possible ways in which taxation reform can assist the drive for more funding diversity in Irish sport.”
In what is likely to be seen as a setback to Sport Ireland the latest phase of the development of the Sport Ireland Campus has not been allocated funds from Budget 2023 for the awaited development of a velodrome on the north Dublin site.
The €8m announced yesterday is on top of a €1.1 billion budget which currently goes to sport, along with tourism, culture, arts, Gaeltacht and media.
The current increase represents core funding for all sectors of €45m along with a temporary fund of €90m, to help consolidate the recovery from the pandemic.
During his announcements for sport and other sectors, Minister Michael McGrath said measures were needed to help sport to rebuild following the devastation on the sector from Covid-19.
“These sectors are progressing through the post pandemic recovery phase, with the easing of restrictions, attendance and participation rates have improved but they remain below pre-Covid levels,” he said.
“I am conscious of the need to provide support again next year for these sectors.
“Therefore, as well as providing an additional €45m core funding to support these sectors, I am also providing temporary funding of €90m next year to help consolidate their recovery from the pandemic.”
Sports Minister Jack Chambers welcomed the budgetary measures for sport despite its seemingly modest amount.
He said the energy cost saving package, which will be detailed Wednesday would be “a new multi-million funding package to help sports clubs with rising energy costs to help with floodlights, indoor facilities and swimming pools operating over the winter period”.
He added: “I’m proud that Budget 2023 will deliver for sport so we can grow participation levels across society, support our very best and brightest sporting talent and enhance our sporting infrastructure and facilities all over the country.”
The Federation of Irish Sport and Sport Ireland both said they weren’t in a position to comment on Budget 2023 until they had been delivered the full details at Wednesday's briefing.
