Sport is simple. It’s about absolutes of black and white, winners and losers, whether against others or your previous self. Politics is a different game with a wider variety of shades of grey.
There will be an undoubted sense of relief in some quarters and disappointment in others following the budget announcement yesterday.
In one sense the headline figure is down by over €20 million but that is related to a spike last year with a special allocation to complete phase one of the National Indoor Arena at the National Sports Campus.
Then there was talk at the Ministers briefing last night and in the published material from the Department of a rise in the ‘envelope’ of funding for sport of €3 million but this is more likely heading towards completion or advancement of works in train such as Páirc Ui Chaoimh and the Kerry Sports Academy at the Institute of Technology in Tralee.
Capital Grants
A major mid term review of Capital spending plans will likely lead to a further round of Capital Sports Grants in 2017 but that will not be confirmed in reality or in scale for another few months.
Horse and Greyhound Racing will be satisfied with an increase in their funding channelled through the Department of Agriculture. Read more about the allocation to horse and greyhound racing here.
Sport Ireland Grant
This time four years ago the budget for sport actually fell by 2.9% in terms of current spending. It was, as we are now, post an Olympic cycle and the boost in cash for preparations for London 2012 drifted back to the general exchequer.
A positive from this year would appear to be that last year’s grant to Sport Ireland, announced in the budget for 2016 at €47 million and subsequently boosted to €48 million with extra spending on the Rio Olympic and Paralympic Games will be maintained at that level.
As ever it is in the power of Sport Ireland to determine how and where that money is allocated but it does appear likely that the broad bases of core funding to National Governing Bodies, High Performance programmes and the Local Sports Partnerships will show a small increase on what was announced 12 months ago, if not on what was actually spent last year.
Dormant Accounts
There will be different ways of funding that make the analysis of sports funding more complex. Last week an amount of €1.4 million was directed from the Dormant Account Fund towards programmes under the control of Sport Ireland and affiliated bodies to advance the National Physical Activity Plan.
These are solid programmes and additional to what might be put forward by sports towards their own ambitions for 2017.
“The allocation to Sport Ireland will allow Sport Ireland to continue its key priorities of increasing participation and developing and supporting high performance sport in Ireland,” said Minister of State for Sport Patrick O’Donovan.
“It is important that there is an appropriate level of investment in sport to ensure that participation opportunities and high performance successes are maintained and improved.”
“It also provides for expenditure by Sport Ireland on its sports programmes, including grants to National Governing Bodies of Sport, Youth Field Sports, the Local Sports Partnerships, the International Carding Scheme grants, High Performance Programmes, anti-Doping Programmes, Women in Sport initiative and the National Trails Programme.”
Review Underway
“There is a review under way in terms of Performance at the Olympics and Paralympic Games. Sport Ireland and the Governing Bodies have the resources, the skills and the knowledge to determine what is working and where investment needs to be made and that power remains within their control.
“Sport Ireland has a very ambitious programme relating to performance, and towards ensuring the maximum number of people can participate in sport.”
“If there are implications or suggestions arising from the report by Mr Justice Moran into the Olympic Council of Ireland then they will be considered. Both Minister Ross and I are interested to see that investigation proceed apace.”
“The capital allocation to Sport Ireland will provide for the continued development of the National Sports Campus at Abbotstown. This includes the completion of the National Indoor Arena and Office Accommodation.”
“2017 will see another round of the Sports Capital Programme. Details of this round will be announced in due course based on internal discussions and taking account of the overall Sports policy review currently underway.”
“Myself and my colleague, Minister Ross, look forward to making a more detailed announcement on the new round shortly with allocations under the programme being made in 2017.”
“In this regard we will be engaging with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform as part of the mid-term review of the Capital Plan to maximise the level of funding which we will have to allocate.”
“In the meantime, it is business as usual for the clubs and groups that received funding under previous rounds of the SCP with €19m already paid out this year. These grants are helping clubs to improve pitches, refurbish sports halls and buy essential equipment.”
