Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

Ba mhaith liom mo bhuíochas a ghabháil leis na Teachtaí as ucht an deis seo a thabhairt dúinn plé a dhéanamh ar chúrsaí infheistíochta sa bpeil. I am glad to have the opportunity to discuss this important sport in the Dáil, and I assure Members that the Government recognises the importance of investment in football as one of the key participation sports in Ireland. Football is the beautiful game, and a sport which I know is very close to Deputy Ó Ríordáin’s heart. That was very evident from his passionate delivery of his "Football is Ireland" speech earlier. From my engagement with him, I know how genuine that passion is. I compliment him and the Labour Party on tabling the motion today.

There has been a sustained commitment in that regard by Government, particularly so in recent years when, as the House will recall, a significant financial support package was put in place which ensured the FAI remained solvent, allowing it to continue to function as the national governing body for football and to rebuild after the financial mismanagement and subsequent implosion of the association just a few short years ago. That support package provided for the restoration and doubling of funding for football development to €5.8 million each year from 2020 to 2023. An additional €7.6 million was provided between 2020 and 2022 towards the FAI’s licence fee for the Aviva Stadium. In total, between the support package, Covid support funding, energy support funding, women in sport funding and other various programme funding, almost €62 million has been provided to the FAI between 2019 and 2022. That is quite a significant level of Government investment in one sporting organisation.

While I applaud the motivation behind this motion and will not be opposing it, it is important to broaden the debate out to wider State investment in all types of football, whether association, Gaelic, rugby or even American football. In fact, we should go beyond investment in football to all sports. Tá an Rialtas tiomanta tacú le cúrsaí spóirt in Éirinn, agus an maoiniú a chuirtear ar fáil do na heagraíochtaí spóirt a mhéadú. Tá sé seo fíor i gcás gach spórt. Faoin bPolasaí Náisiúnta Spórt, tá gealltanas tugtha ag an Rialtas go ndéanfar leibhéal infheistíochta an Stáit i gcúrsaí spóirt a mhéadú ó €111 milliún in 2018 go dtí €220 milliún faoi 2027.

As a result of the Government's strong commitment to the development of sport in recent years, we are well on track to achieve our investment targets. This year, the budget for sport is more than €175 million. In addition, it is important to recall that more than €160 million was provided in Covid-19 funding between 2020 and 2022 to support the sport sector and aid its recovery. A further €35 million was provided under the sport energy support scheme since last autumn. It should also be noted that State funding to sport comes from a range of other sources, including under the Urban Regeneration and Development Fund, URDF, which is managed by the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage; and the Community Recognition Fund, which comes under the remit of the Minister for Rural and Community Development. Sports-related projects currently being supported under both of these schemes are estimated at €38 million and €18 million, respectively. These figures do not include the substantial funding that is also being made available for parks, recreation facilities, walkways and cycleways across the country.

There are a number of elements to this motion which do not come under my remit. With regard to an increase to the betting levy, it is a matter for the Minister for Finance. It is understood that money raised from the betting duty goes into general Exchequer funds rather than being ring-fenced for particular purposes. I would, of course, support any measures, such as an increase in the betting levy, which could in turn feed in to increased funding for sport more generally.

On building links between the League of Ireland and third level institutions, I am pleased to note that third level scholarships are already available to high-performing sports players at many of our third level institutions. In recent years, the Sport Ireland Institute developed the ASAS accreditation, which is based on providing equal opportunity to all high-performing student athletes to combine sport and education, and is grounded in the right to education. The accreditation outlines clear dual career criteria that third level institutions must have in order to receive the accreditation. The accreditation aims to identify and establish a network of accredited institutions who support elite athletes to achieve dual career excellence by applying guiding principles. I would hope to see more third level institutions engaging with this system in the years ahead. Further development of links with League of Ireland clubs would be a matter for the clubs themselves, and one which I would welcome.

With regard to the football museum concept, my Department, through Fáilte Ireland, has previously supported the National Football Exhibition which toured the country between 2018 and 2020 in advance of the planned 2020 European Championship which, unfortunately, were disrupted by Covid-19. The exhibition was a recognition of 60 years of the European Championship and a celebration of the history of Irish football, and I understand it is planned to adapt the exhibition for use in the future by the FAI.

Additionally, a new masterplan for the development of the Sport Ireland Campus was approved by Government in November 2022. The masterplan provides a framework for the further development of the campus over the next 15 to 20 years. The vision for the future of the campus includes the development of a national sports museum, which will celebrate the history and heritage of sport in Ireland as well as recognising the achievements of past and present Irish athletes.

The ability of sport, including football, to support integration of new communities, participation for those with disabilities, and gender equality in sport is already well recognised and supported by Sport Ireland through its diversity and inclusion policy, and through numerous initiatives supported through the Dormant Accounts Fund and through the women in sport programmes. In accordance with the Government’s memorandum of understanding with the FAI, €5.8 million will be allocated to the FAI for football development each year between 2020 and 2023. From that amount, €0.8 million is to be dedicated to programmes that underpin the development of the League of Ireland and the Women’s National League. Sport Ireland has advised that more than €2.9 million, or more than 50%, of the €5.8 million grant funding to the FAI was apportioned towards women’s and girls' football in 2022.

Members will be aware that increased participation in sport by women and girls is another key aim in the national sports policy. Our aim is to eliminate the gender participation gap by 2027. The latest data show that the gap is still at 5%. We know that there is a significant challenge in keeping teenage girls in sport. It is very concerning that while teenage girls are aware of the physical, mental and emotional benefits of being active, only 7% currently meet the recommended guidelines. As the Irish women’s team continue their preparations in advance of their opening game against Australia at the World Cup next week, it is important to acknowledge that football is a key sport in contributing to our aims for greater female participation in sport. We know that there has been huge growth in the number of women and girls playing football. Much of that growth must be attributed to the success of the women’s national team and the way they are inspiring females around the country to become involved in football and in sport generally.

The Government is continuing to support the FAI, and many other sporting organisations, in growing their sport among women and girls. Last week, the Minister of State, Deputy Byrne, and I announced additional programme funding of up to €500,000 to support women’s and girls’ football. This funding will be provided to the FAI through Sport Ireland, and will be invested primarily in the areas of coaching, grassroots and female leadership. This significant investment will help to ensure the further development of women’s and girls’ football in Ireland, and is a fitting legacy of the Irish women’s national team’s qualification for the FIFA Women's World Cup 2023.

As Ministers with responsibility for sport, the Minister of State, Deputy Byrne, and I want to ensure that every woman and girl has the opportunity to get involved in sport and to experience everything sport has to offer. We are looking to achieve a step change in funding for women in sport this year so that the closing of the participation gap between women and men, which might take a decade or more at our current pace, can be greatly accelerated and achieved in a much shorter timeframe. I would encourage football of all types, and all other sports, to consider what programmes could be developed with extra funding that will bring more women and girls into sport and keep them there.

Before concluding, I would like to add that the Minister of State and I were pleased to announce today that a new round of the sports capital and equipment programme will be open for applications from next Monday, 17 July. The Minister of State, Deputy Byrne, will provide more detail on this and our continued investment in sports infrastructure.

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