Steven Matthews (Wicklow, Green Party)
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44. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the position regarding Departmental support that has been made available in relation to Irish participation in the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Paris in 2024; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24034/24]

Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail)
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For the Paris Cycle, 2021-2024, the Government has provided record-level investment to Sport Ireland of approximately €89 million, towards high performance sport.

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.

Team Ireland is now entering the final period of qualification for several sports and Ireland is tracking towards a team size exceeding 120 athletes in the 2024 Olympic Games and 30 athletes in the 2024 Paralympic Games.

The qualification of three field sport teams (men’s rugby sevens, women’s rugby sevens, men’s hockey) for the Olympic Games is a significant development for Irish sport and reflects the impact of the Government's record level of investment in high performance sport.

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 through the Sport Ireland Institute.

A record €25 million will be invested in 2024, which demonstrates the Government’s continued commitment in high-performance sport under the National Sports Policy 2018-2027.

Sport Ireland has invested €3,245,000 in the Olympic Federation of Ireland for the Paris Cycle, which includes an allocation of €900,000 to support the costs associated with the 2024 Olympic Games. €2,813,000 is being provided to Paralympics Ireland over the same period, including €800,000 specifically for the 2024 Paralympic Games.

This funding is essential to ensuring Irish athletes and teams can prepare for, and participate in, the Olympic and Paralympic Games to the best of their ability.

Access to world-class facilities is also a key part of the support being provided to Team Ireland. The Sport Ireland National Sports Campus is home to many sports that will compete in Paris 2024 including swimming, boxing, hockey, rugby sevens and gymnastics. The facilities at the Sport Ireland Campus are on par with the best in the world and have provided athletes with an opportunity to prepare for Paris 2024 in a home environment with proximity to Paris.

I would also emphasise that 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.

With the benefit of all these considerable supports from the Government, I am confident that Team Ireland's participation in the Paris Games will be a successful one.

The Olympic Federation of Ireland has also developed a partnership with the Centre Culturel Irlandais in Paris, which will provide direct support for athlete experience and transition following competition.

The setting will also provide opportunities to incorporate a cultural and promotional strand to enhance the reputation of Ireland internationally through arts and culture and to recognise the significance of the Games as marking the centenary of Ireland’s first independent participation.