Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I am pleased to inform the Deputy that preparations for Paris 2024 are progressing positively. Sport Ireland is collaborating closely with the Olympic Federation of Ireland and Paralympics Ireland who will lead Team Ireland to the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games, respectively.

For the Paris Cycle, 2021-2024, Sport Ireland will provide aggregate investment exceeding €90 million. This investment includes High Performance Programme Funding to National Governing Bodies; direct athlete investment; Impact Funding which targets new and innovative performance opportunities; High Performance Coaching supports; and world-class services delivered through the Sport Ireland Institute.

The Sport Ireland Campus will act as the pre-Games Training Camp venue for several sports including swimming, gymnastics, taekwondo, and badminton. The facilities at the Sport Ireland Campus are on a par with the best in the world and will provide our athletes with an opportunity to prepare for Paris 2024 in a home environment with close proximity to Paris.

Sport Ireland anticipates a team size of about 115 athletes at the Olympic Games and about 25 athletes at the Paralympic Games, which is in line with the numbers that participated in the Tokyo Games. In the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, Ireland had two teams competing (Women’s Hockey and Men’s Rugby Sevens). Looking ahead to Paris 2024, both the Men’s and Women’s Rugby Sevens teams have already qualified, with the Men’s and Women’s Hockey Teams seeking to secure qualification in January. In the first half of next year, qualification to the Games will be the priority for many athletes, particularly for those where qualification is obtained through ranking points.

Recognising that the Olympic and Paralympic Games are the pinnacle for many athletes, Sport Ireland has evolved its Athlete Career Transition Programme since 2020. This programme provides a continuation of services and financial support to athletes upon retirement. This has been well received by athletes and is an offering not seen in many other countries.

In conclusion, Paris 2024 will be an important milestone in the delivery of the Sport Ireland High Performance Strategy 2021-2032. This Strategy takes a long-term view of Ireland’s high performance system and seeks to achieve improved results on the global stage in a sustainable, value-based, and ambitious manner.