Next week’s budget is bound to be tough across all sectors of society and sport is bracing itself for a reduction in government funding.  Performance programmes were left untouched in 2012, ahead of the Olympic and Paralympic Games but that is likely to be different now and has already been flagged as such.
Government funding runs on an annual basis in Ireland, an issue which creates uncertainty among athletes and difficulty in planning for governing bodies.  In Britain, the Government announced a four year cycle after this Olympics, a model that does give greater certainty and which is likely to be introduced here once a more stable financial environment returns.
Governing bodies have made their submissions for core funding to the Irish Sports Council and will learn shortly what money they have been granted to pay for coaches, development officers and participation programmes over the next year.
Ahead of last year’s budget the Federation of Irish Sports mounted a substantial lobbying exercise to promote the overall benefits to society of sport.  This year, there has been a lower key approach.
There will always be a higher emotional temperature around items of expenditure like health, education and social welfare.  Sport is sometimes seen as a luxury by those not fully engaged in it and sponsorship and commercial partnership is much more evident around sporting venues than in hospitals or schools.
That should not lessen though the importance of funding from government, particularly in areas of youth development and participation.
Over €40 million will be distributed from central revenues to sport in 2013.  Other programmes like the Capital Grants scheme boost this and the figures do stand comparison with other countries of similar size, or pro rata with bigger nations.
The difficult balance is in finding the right mix between elite and grassroots support.  Without investment in stars, the public eye wanders to other areas.  Consider the growth of cycling in the UK.  Driven by large investment in creating an elite team, supported through commercial partnership with Sky and now a participation sport that is growing rapidly with tremendous benefit for those taking part.
Public policy should always have a broad social objective and it is important that sports bodies look carefully at their statements in response to any cuts next week.  Looking out and to the horizon in terms of general fitness will be a more effective means of resistance then bemoaning the lack of facilities in niche areas.
The GAA has already indicated it will not be picking up any shortfall in the player payments scheme that has been funded by government since its introduction but which has shrunk over the years from a high of €3.5 million to a current level of just over €1 million.
The Gaelic Players Association has stressed the importance of maintaining the scheme to protect the principle of the unique status of the amateur inter-county player in the world of Irish sport.’
It is a reasoned argument and one that will hopefully find favour.
Cuts in the order of 5% are likely but the onus then will be on sport to become more imaginative in how it approaches the development of its programmes.  It needs to think hard about how to make them appealing to partners other than just the taxpayer.
This impetus is already there.  Programmes are being supported and the value of commercial input to Irish sport will grow in 2013.  20 schemes were professionally pitched to the business community last week at Sport for Business 20/20 and there is an appetite for more engagement.
Nobody in Government wants to cut funding to sport but it is important to stay front and centre stage so that they do not follow the path of least resistance when it comes to cuts.
Anybody involved in the playing or administering of sport should state their case to any elected representatives they meet over the coming month.
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