Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Cathaoirleach and the members for their invitation today. As we outlined at our last committee hearing, the Government is committed to supporting our sporting ecosystem so that people can participate, reap the benefits of sport and fulfil their potential, from grassroots right up to high performance level. In this regard, the Government has invested well over €1 billion in sports infrastructure and development across the country since 2018. The return on that investment in terms of community participation, inclusion, integration and physical and mental well-being is substantial. I have previously highlighted to the committee that the rate of active sports participation among adults is now 49%, the highest it has ever been, and the participation gap between men and women is now below 3%, the smallest deficit we have ever seen. This is due in no small part to substantial Government investment in sport over recent years. We will continue that investment in sport, including through the implementation of our national sports policy and action plan, which runs to 2027, and by working with Sport Ireland in supporting initiatives run through it. The national sports policy committed the Government to doubling funding in sport to more than €220 million by 2027, compared with 2018 levels. This target has been achieved two years ahead of schedule, with funding of more than €230 million provided for sport in these Estimates, which is an increase of €21 million from the original 2024 allocation. Earlier this year we announced Sport Ireland’s 2025 core funding allocations to our national governing bodies for sport, local sports partnerships and other funding bodies. The figure of €31 million in core funding allocated is an increase of 76% compared with 2018, when our national sports policy was published. This increased investment will assist in ensuring the long-term sustainability of our sporting organisations and will enable the sector to continue to deliver increased opportunities for people to participate in a wide variety of sports.

In terms of high performance, we have allocated €27 million across Sport Ireland’s high performance programmes for this year, including €4.5 million in direct support for athletes through the carding scheme. This is in line with the Government’s target of delivering €30 million per annum for high performance sport by 2027 as we track towards the 2028 L.A. Olympics. This increased funding for high performance sport reflects the programme for Government commitment to our High Performance Strategy 2021-2032, which provides the overarching policy framework for the development of our high-performance system for the next two Olympiads.

We have also announced investment of €4 million this year to Sport Ireland's Women in Sport programme, which funds projects and initiatives across a wide range of sports and supports the Government’s vision where women have an equal opportunity to achieve their full potential while enjoying a lifelong involvement in sport. The Women in Sport funding programme has been in place since 2005 and over the past two decades we have seen €30 million invested through the national governing bodies and local sports partnerships in gender equality. Some €10 million has been allocated in the Estimates to sport under the Dormant Accounts Fund and this funding will be released to successful applicants across two tranches during the second half of this year. Despite recent progress, there is an enduring participation gap between those with and without disabilities. In line with the programme for Government, Sport Ireland recently appointed a disability in sport lead. The role has the potential to be transformational and the disability in sport lead will work with national governing bodies, local sports partnerships and other sporting bodies to develop and promote the inclusion of people with disabilities in sport.

In terms of wider investment in sport, the Government has made available several forms of tax relief to promote investment in sport, most recently in the latest Finance Act, including to allow a transferable tax relief for donations to national governing bodies of sport for specific purposes, including investment in equipment and high-performance programmes. Major international sporting events can play a key role in increasing sport participation, as well as encouraging domestic and international tourism and promoting Ireland as a destination for education and business purposes. They present a good opportunity to showcase Ireland and our world-class tourism and sports offering to Europe and the world. In this vein, the Government continues to support the hosting of major sports events in Ireland and to explore further hosting opportunities. That is evidenced by the support being provided for events such as the US college football classic series, which has been running annually since 2022 and will this year feature Kansas and Iowa state universities, the UEFA Europa League final in Dublin last year, the first ever National Football League regular season game which will be held in Croke Park in September between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Minnesota Vikings, the Ryder Cup in 2027 in Adare in Limerick, the co-hosting of the UEFA EURO 2028 football championship with the UK and the co-hosting with the UK of the 2030 T20 Cricket World Cup.

The 2024 Government policy and strategy framework for the hosting of major international sporting events is the first of its kind and fulfils a commitment under the previous programme for Government. That policy framework provides for how the Government should support major international sporting events, the benefits it should seek to derive from such events, the supports it could offer and the kinds of events it would prioritise. This framework and its further development will guide future bid activity and ensure Ireland remains competitive and strategic in pursuing these opportunities. Members will appreciate that bidding processes for major sports events can be complex, and that confidential commercial information and non-disclosure agreements are key features of such processes. Additionally, such bidding processes will typically feature other potential interested parties. Therefore, for the reasons I have outlined, I am not able to specify which events my Department is currently engaged with or considering future engagement with. However, I can confirm any engagements by my Department in this regard are guided by the key determining factors as set out in the new policy framework. This includes an assessment of the economic, sporting and social impact of the events in question. In this regard, my officials are working alongside officials in the Department of foreign affairs to implement our new international sports diplomacy framework to leverage sports and major sports events to promote Irish interests overseas.

Turning to postal policy, it is a priority for us that An Post harness the opportunities presented by e-commerce and the digital economy and deliver a sustainable nationwide post office network by offering a range of services. The Government recognises the special role that An Post and the post office network play in our lives, providing invaluable support for some of the most vulnerable in our society through the provision of social welfare payments, free postage to care homes, community focal points and other valuable services. I also recognise that there are challenges for the network, including uncertainty regarding global trade, the continuing decline in mail volumes and the growth of digitalisation. The Government is committed to supporting Ireland’s post office network vis-á-vis €10 million in this year's Estimates, following on from the same over the past two years. The current programme for Government also recognises the need to support Ireland’s post office network, committing to providing continued funding to aid its sustainability and enhance the value the network brings to local communities. Is cúis mhór áthais dúinn deis a fháil labhairt leis an gcoiste inniu. Go raibh maith agaibh.