Sport Ireland has published the latest snapshot of female representation on the boards of funded National Governing Bodies of Sport, Local Sports Partnerships and other sporting funded bodies.
The percentage of women on boards across the sport sector in Ireland now stands at 48% overall, following an analysis of board composition data in November 2024.
The updated figure was published by Sport Ireland and is a three per cent increase on the previous snapshot.
For the first time, every Local Sports Partnership (LSP) has now achieved the target of 40% representation on their boards.
Of the 71 National Governing Bodies of Sport (NGBs)/funded bodies, 65 are now at 40% or more, while the NGBs falling below the number are so due to timing issues and are actively in the process of recruitment to fulfil their gender balance commitment.
The previous snapshot, published in April 2024, showed an overall percentage increase to 45%. These snapshots are published as part of the Leadership & Governance pillar of the Sport Ireland Women in Sport Policy (WIS policy) and outlines the current position and significant progress made in increasing female board members. The policy was first published in 2019 when females made up an average of just 24% of boards of NGBs.
As outlined in the Sports Action Plan published by the Government, all NGBs, LSPs and other funded bodies are required to achieve the Government’s minimum gender target of 40% on their boards. Any funded body who does not meet this target will only be able to draw down a maximum of 50% of its allocated 2025 Core Funding until the 40% requirement is fully met.
The Snapshot looks at data from 100 sports organisations, including National Governing Bodies (NGBs), Local Sports Partnerships (LSPs) and Sport Ireland.
Following her recent employment with the Irish Rugby Football Union, Lynne Cantwell has stepped down from the Board of Sport Ireland, passing the baton of Chairperson of the Sport Ireland Women in Sport Committee to fellow board member, Michelle Tanner.
Lynne was chair of the committee from its establishment in 2019 coinciding with the launch of Sport Ireland Policy on Women in Sport.
Michelle works as the Director of Sport and Physical Activity in Trinity College Dublin. She is an active Board and committee member, holding officer positions within Student Sport Ireland and as a strategy advisor to Volleyball Ireland.
She is a current member of the World University Sports Federation Gender Equality Working Group and she was the first Irish and first female President of the European Network of Academic Sports Services.
She has been a member of three European Union Expert Groups, executing the EU Work Plan for Sport, and is also a former Irish international volleyball player, current youth club coach, manager and national coach developer.
SPORT FOR BUSINESS PERSPECTIVE
The Government press on ensuring this figure has been impressive, with the threat of withholding funding the incentive that organisations needed to move from aspiration to action. Moving from 24% to 48% in five years is something that Ireland can be proud of on an international level.
WHAT’S UP NEXT?
Getting there is one thing, staying there is another but now that organisations are in the space of equal representation, recruitment policies are becoming embedded.
MEMBERSHIP AND EVENTS
Sport Ireland and a total of 33 National Governing Bodies of Sport in Ireland are full members of the Sport for Business Community in 2025.
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The Sport for Business Membership comprises nearly 300 organisations, including all the leading sports and sponsors, as well as commercial and state agencies.
