The Core Funding allocated to National Governing Bodies for 2025 has come in at a total of €18.3 million, a 69 per cent increase on when the National Sports Policy was published in 2018 and €1 million more than was the case in 2024, €2.3 million more than in 2023, and €4,455 more than when we were emerging from the ravages of Covid in 2021.
Over those longer periods the increase is strong but there will be some concern that the increase of 5.8 per cent at a time of extra demands on programmes and on wage inflation might present challenges.
Sport has never been more important in the eyes of politics or that national debate, and yet it will always be competing with health, education, housing, trade and of late defence, in terms of getting a share of the money that we as taxpayers contribute to the exchequer.
We will return to this debate over the coming months and as Sport Ireland dives into the detail of what will be required in order to complete the move to a multi-annual funding model.
In addition to the Core funding for NGB’s there is a sum of €11,945,000 going to the network of Local Sports Partnerships. This includes an amount of €415,000 devoted to Women in Sport Programmes, up from €277,000 in 2024.
For now though let us focus on the money that has been allocated to the National Governing Bodies.
It is worth remembering that this money does not include the funding allocated for the three major field sports of GAA, Rugby and Football which will be announced separately and shortly.
THE TOP 10
1. Special Olympics – €1,650,000 (up €50,000 on 2024)
2. Athletics Ireland – €1,270,000 (up €40,000 on 2024)
3. Swim Ireland – €1,215,000 (up €40,000 on 2024)
4. Horse Sport Ireland – €1,105,000 (up €35,000 on 2024)
5. Basketball Ireland – €930,000 (up €30,000 on 2024)
6. Tennis Ireland – €760,000 (up €225,000 on 2024 but including transition from High Performance funding allocation)
= 7. Cricket Ireland – €595,000 (up €20,000 on 2024)
= 7. Ladies Gaelic Football Association – €595,000 (up €25,000 on 2024)
= 7. Irish Athletic Boxing Association – €595,000 (up €25,000 on 2024)
= 10. Irish Sailing – €545,000 (up €25,000 on 2024)
= 10. Camogie Association – €545,000 (up €25,000 on 2024)
The annual increase in each case is around half of what it was in 2024 over 2023 which will be of some concern but which was also expected after the money was announced in the initial figures of the Government budget for 2025.
Tennis is a stand out on these numbers but as noted this takes account of the fact that it is transitioning out of the High Performance Funding cycle, which we will return to when the announcement of those budget allocations are made in the coming weeks.
With the ministers saying yesterday that there would be a sharp focus across the department, and indeed across government on spending taxpayer money in ways which are accountable and valid, the good behaviour of sporting bodies in this regard will be of value in both future planning and with the allocation of any additional funding that becomes available.
THE NEXT 20
12. Cycling Ireland – €525,000 (up €25,000)
13. Badminton Ireland – €515,000 (up €25,000)
14. Gymnastics Ireland – €445,000 (up €25,000)
15. Hockey ireland – €435,000 (up €25,000)
16. Rowing Ireland – €420,000 (up €25,000)
17. Golf Ireland – €415,000 (up €20,000)
18. Irish Wheelchair Association Sport – €380,000 (up €20,000)
19. Canoeing Ireland – €375,000 (up €20,000)
20. National Community Games – €340,000 (up €20,000)
= 21. Triathlon Ireland – €320,000 (up €20,000)
= 21. Squash Ireland – €320,000 (up €20,000)
22. Mountaineering Ireland – €285,000 (up €20,000)
23. Volleyball Ireland – €280,000 (up €20,000)
24. Motorsport Ireland €240,000 (up €20,000)
25. Table Tennis Ireland – €230,000 (up €20,000)
26. Irish Judo Association – €180,000 (up €20,000)
27. Pitch and Putt Ireland – €165,000 (up €20,000)
28. Irish Surfing – €150,000 (up €15,000)
= 29. Vision Sports Ireland – €140,000 (up €15,000)
= 29. Diving Ireland – €140,000 (up €15,000)
There is a clear indication that the additional money on last year was to be shared broadly equally. The amount of increase in real terms in this cohort is less but the percentage increase a little more than in the top funded organisations.
Gymnastics and Rowing might be a little disappointed that they did not get an Olympic ‘bounce’ to better capitalise on the extra interest having returned with Gold medals from the Olympics, and likewise Cycling Ireland perhaps with their golds at the Paralympics but it would have had to come from somewhere.
There is an additional €200,000 in targeted strategic investment being made available for Boxing, Rowing and Triathlon and a further €92,000 set aside for strategically important NGB projects that will arise during the year. This is the pot from which an additional minimum €305,000 has been available in each of the last six years, bit again might rise over 2025, albeit hopefully without a pandemic to wrestle with and certainly without an Olympic Games to deliver on.
OTHER FUNDED BODIES
Another 27 National Governing Bodies learned of their allocations yesterday, ranging in amounts from €130,000 to €37,000. 22 of them saw an increase with five remaining on the same level of funding as last year. No body has been allocated less than in 2024.
In addition to the NGB’s Age and Opportunity saw an increase of €10,000 to €630,000, the Federation of Irish Sport an increase of €20,000 to €155,000, Active Disability Ireland an increase of €10,000 to €150,000 and Student Sport Ireland an increase of €15,000 to €90,000.
Ireland Active is also included in Core Funding for the first time with a grant of €50,000
LOCAL SPORTS PARTNERSHIPS
We will look at the detail around this stream of funding on Monday
Further Reading for Sport for Business members: The Speeches of the Ministers
SPORT FOR BUSINESS PERSPECTIVE
The increases in funding have been applied universally once more, with the amounts available to most bodies less in real terms than was the case last year but with the hope that increases in commercial partnerships for some, additional funding streams for others will alleviate the challenge there will be in doing more to bring sport to a growing population.
WHAT’S UP NEXT?
We will have more detailed analysis of the core funding for LSOP’s and the move towards multi annual funding on Monday on Sport for Business.
MEMBERSHIP AND EVENTS
Sport Ireland and the Department of Arts, Media, Communications, Culture and Sport as well as 22 of the 23 most funded NGB’s are among are 300+ organisations that make up the Sport for Business community. Our Daily content on the commercial world of sport is read by 40,000 readers each month and serves a purpose in highlighting the work of sport before a targeted audience of commercial organisations.
The Sport for Business Membership comprises nearly 300 organisations, including all the leading sports and sponsors, as well as commercial and state agencies.
