With only one day to go before the Budget, speculation is mounting that Minister for Sport Michael Ring has succeeded in securing a third round of capital funding for sports facilities and programmes across the country.
This would push the amount of money made available to upgrade the grassroots sporting infrastructure to over €100 million under the current Government and while there are voices within sport that feel the money would better be spent on current funding it is possible that there will be a number of new caveats in the latest round to allow more again for equipment freeing up budgets in other areas.
There is also the prospect of a retrieval of some of the money that has drifted away from the funding that Government supplies through the Irish Sports Council over recent difficult years.
Reversal of cuts
Last week the Federation of Irish Sport called for a €4.4 million reversal of cuts over the next two years and it is believed that part of this will be achieved tomorrow.
Sport for Business’ call for an extension of the 9% VAT rate which has worked so well in tourism to areas of sports sponsorship that are dedicated to grassroots programmes has received a positive response but more guarantees on how the money will be ring fenced may be needed before it has a chance to be introduced.
It makes good sense in that it will encourage business to spend more in areas that will have a positive impact on society, and free up the demands for funding of sport by Government.
Attractive
There are few other areas of central spending where there is such an attractive reason for outside money being spent, and the figures are small enough in relative terms to enable smart and imaginative flexibility when it comes to trialling what we believe will be a strongly positive societal and financial boost.
Other calls for treatment of sporting donations and bequests to receive the same charitable status as those given to arts organisations are still under discussion but are thought to be a step away from this week’s announcements.
Around the world more Government spending is being directed to sport and fitness programmes from Departments of Health and given the presence of a Minister who is both personally involved and willing to look more at long term rather than purely electoral gain, there is a feeling that Ireland is about to join that shift.
Preventative
Preventative spending on a fitter population will produce manifold savings in longer term treatment of illness and reduced mobility caused by a lack of physical activity.
Ireland stands alarmingly close to being damned as Europe’s most obese nation and for a country where sport is so valued and cherished at community level that really does signify a failure of connection within the Government departments.
What happened in the past though is less important that what can be delivered in the future and it is hoped there will be elements in the breakdown of Government spending to be published tomorrow that will signify a more positive outlook in years to come.
