Malcolm Byrne (Wicklow-Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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42. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the Government's strategy to support athletes for the 2028 Los Angeles and 2032 Brisbane Summer Olympics; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52178/25]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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For the Paris Olympic cycle 2021-2024, the Government provided a record-level investment of approximately €89 million towards high performance sport. This was a substantial increase on the €59 million invested for the previous Tokyo cycle.

Sport Ireland has announced that €27 million will be invested in high performance sport in 2025. This is in line with the Government’s target of delivering €30 million in funding per annum for high performance sport by 2027, as set out in the National Sports policy 2018-2027.

This increased funding for high performance sport reflects Sport Ireland’s High Performance Strategy 2021-2032, which provides the overarching policy framework for the development of the high-performance system for the next two Olympiads in Los Angeles 2028 and Brisbane 2032.

More specifically, the International Carding Scheme provides financial support to athletes for their training and competition programmes. The primary purpose of this funding is to support Irish athletes in reaching finals and achieving medals at European, World, Olympic and Paralympic level.

In 2025, Sport Ireland will invest €4.5 million under the International Carding Scheme and the Player Funding Scheme (Men’s and Women's Senior teams). Through the Sport Ireland International Carding Scheme 129 individual athletes and others on relay teams will be supported across 16 sports. Sport Ireland also provides €350,000 in direct athlete support to Golf Ireland through the Golf Ireland Professional Scheme.

The task ahead is to sustain and build on what has been achieved to date. More athletes, coaches, and additional services will be needed in the coming years to enable national sporting bodies to carry through well-funded, stable high performance programmes. In this regard, the importance of collaboration in preparing for these Games, in particular between Sport Ireland, the Olympic Federation of Ireland, Paralympics Ireland, and the relevant National Governing Bodies of Sport should also be recognised.

With the benefit of considerable support from the Government, I am confident that Team Ireland's participation in the next Olympic Games will build on the successes of recent Games.