The Irish Rugby Football Union has expressed its gratitude to the Irish Government for the additional funding allocated to rugby in Budget 2026.
This support reflects the Government’s continued commitment to the development of sport at all levels. It will play a vital role in advancing the IRFU’s strategic objective of accelerating the women’s game.
Kevin Potts, Chief Executive of the IRFU, said: “We are extremely grateful to Minister O’Donovan, Minister McConalogue, the wider Government and Sport Ireland for their ongoing support of Irish Rugby. This additional funding represents a real endorsement of the direction we’re taking — particularly in accelerating the women’s game as a key pillar of our 2024–2028 strategic plan. It will enable us to strengthen the foundations of women’s rugby across all levels — from establishing sustainable provincial pathways to supporting participation and performance environments that allow our players, coaches, match officials and communities to thrive.”
The investment comes at a crucial time for the women’s game in Ireland, with investment needed to establish provincial pathways to support the increasing numbers of girls and women playing rugby.
Lynne Cantwell, IRFU Head of Women’s Strategy, added: “We are so grateful to the Government for understanding the growth story behind women’s sport and specifically women’s rugby as we build on the momentum of the Rugby World Cup 2025.
“This funding will have a significant impact on the acceleration of the women’s game and allows us to create more opportunities for women and girls to access elite player development coaching and support services in provincial training environments built with women and girls in mind. We feel passionately about making women’s rugby accessible to women and girls of all ages, in their local communities and look forward to seeing the results of the Government’s investment in the years to come.”
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The Federation of Irish Sport has welcomed the commitments announced in Budget 2026 towards the ongoing development of sport and physical activity across Ireland.
The increased investment in core funding, high-performance programmes, and sports facility development represents a clear and positive signal of Ireland’s ambition to support and nurture sporting talent at every level — from grassroots community clubs to elite international competition.
Speaking following the Budget announcement, Federation CEO Mary O’Connor said:
“This Budget sends a strong message that sport, and physical activity remain a national priority. These targeted investments will allow the sector to build on momentum, while continuing to deliver opportunities for participation, inclusion, and excellence throughout Ireland.”
“These investments are not just numbers on a page. They represent opportunities — for children to join their first team, for athletes to chase international dreams, and for communities to thrive through sport. We look forward to working together to ensure every euro invested strengthens the foundations of Irish sport for generations to come.”
The Federation extends its sincere thanks to Minister Patrick O’Donovan and Minister of State Charlie McConalogue for their leadership, ongoing support, and commitment to recognising the unique role of sport and physical activity in Irish society.
“The Ministers’ support, both in public advocacy and in yesterday’s funding allocations, underscores the Government’s understanding that sport is not just about medals and trophies — it’s about wellbeing, community building, social cohesion, and economic contribution,” Mary O’Connor added.
Looking ahead, the Federation expressed its commitment to working closely with the Department of Culture, Communications and Sport, Sport Ireland, National Governing Bodies, Local Sports Partnerships, and all funded organisations to ensure that this investment delivers real, measurable impact.
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The FAI has Reacted Positively to the announcement in Budget 2026 of Investment in LOI Academy Development
“The FAI and League of Ireland are delighted to welcome the Department of Culture, Communications and Sport’s announcement of a €3 million funding allocation towards the development of League of Ireland football academies across the country.”
“The FAI and the League Department would like to sincerely thank Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport Patrick O’Donovan, Minister of State Charlie McConalogue, Minister for Public Expenditure Jack Chambers, Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe, An Taoiseach Micheál Martin and Tánaiste Simon Harris for their continued support and belief in Irish football.”
“This vital muti-annual investment marks a crucial step in building the modern, professional academy system Irish football needs to compete internationally and benefit communities nationwide.”
“It will create full-time academy roles across League of Ireland clubs, providing the high-performance environments our most talented boys and girls need to thrive. This progress builds on the dedication of volunteers who have driven the academies’ success and supported the recent resurgence of the League of Ireland.”
David Courell, CEO of the FAI commented; “We sincerely thank Ministers Patrick O’Donovan, Charlie McConalogue, Jack Chambers, Paschal Donohoe and the Government for their trust in this investment, which will be directed into the long-term development of our academy system. This marks an important step in building the structures Irish football needs to compete internationally and to strengthen the game in communities across the country. It is a significant moment for the FAI, our clubs, and the future of Irish football.”
Mark Scanlon, League of Ireland Director, said: “Today is a landmark day for the League of Ireland and our clubs. We thank the Department of Culture, Communications and Sport for recognising the importance of this investment to Irish football. It is a fitting reward for the volunteers and staff who have driven the game forward and I’d like to also express our gratitude to them, the clubs and our National League Committee, in particular Dermot Ahern and Michael Ring for their support. Guided by the recent Double Pass Audit, we will use this support to professionalise coaching, create full-time roles, and build a sustainable future for our clubs and the game.”
“Today marks an important milestone for the future of Irish football”, said LOI Academy Development Manager, Will Clarke.
“This investment will create full-time roles across our clubs and support the development of modern, fit-for-purpose academies to help young Irish boys and girls reach their full potential on and off the pitch.”
“We extend our sincere thanks to Sport Ireland, in particular Paul McDermott, Director of National Governing Bodies & High Performance, and Nora Stapleton, Women in Sport Lead, for their collaboration and guidance throughout the independent audit process.”
“Enormous credit is also due to our clubs and volunteers for their tireless commitment, especially during the LOI Academy Audit process. Finally, we acknowledge with gratitude the invaluable support of my colleague Pat Duffy and our LOI Department staff. Together, we look forward to driving Irish football to new heights and ensuring this investment delivers lasting impact for the game’s long-term growth.”
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The Gaelic Players Association has reacted positively to the increase of 28% for player grants announced in Budget 2026
“The Gaelic Players Association welcomes today’s budget announcement that State funding for inter-county player grants is to increase by 28%, bringing the total player fund to €7.2 million. This means the average grant per player will increase to €1,800.”
“This marks a strong result for players and for our campaign, reflecting the credibility of the GPA’s case and the growing recognition of the enormous contribution inter-county players make to the Irish economy and society.”
“We have had positive and constructive engagement with Minister Patrick O’Donovan, who has reaffirmed his commitment to continue working with players over the lifetime of this Government.”
“The GPA recognises today’s announcement as phase one of a plan to reach €10 million in annual player funding, the target set by players themselves.”
“In the coming days, we will engage directly with players, Sport Ireland and the National Governing Bodies to discuss how this funding will be structured on a per-player basis.”
“We would like to put on the record our thanks to Minister O’Donovan, Minister of State Charlie McConalogue, Minister Paschal Donohoe and Minister Jack Chambers along with all the other ministers, TDs, MEPs and government officials who have helped get us to this point.”
“However, our campaign does not stop here. The GPA will continue to push until inter-county players are fully recognised and supported on par with other elite and high-performance athletes in Ireland, whether that is achieved through the total funding outlined in our campaign or through a combination of direct investment and/or a fair tax-relief scheme for players.”
“Today is an important step forward but our focus remains firmly on achieving full recognition and fairness for every inter-county player in the country.”
We will update this page with further reaction from across the sports sector as it emerges over the course of the coming hours and days.
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