Promotion boost for Irish WRC event

MOTORSPORT Ireland have stepped up their involvement in Rally Ireland and will actually promote the 2009 event that will kick start the World Rally Championship in late January. However, funding for the event has yet to be put in place.

According to the Department of Tourism and Sport: “Discussions are continuing.” Meanwhile, the situation with regard to its northern counterpart, the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure (DECAL) is somewhat more complex as they have taken over from subsidiaries — Sport Northern Ireland and Northern Ireland Events Company.

Funding issues are not helped by the fact that the 2009 rally date is some eight months ahead of what was initially anticipated. However, given the value to the economy of the north-west region and the political strongholds involved, the funding, particularly that of Fáilte Ireland, is likely to be sorted within days.