74 National Sports Governing Bodies meet Irish Ministers for Tourism and Sport to procure funds
The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport and the Minister of State for Tourism and Sport became audience to a very important presentation made by the 74 National Sports Governing Bodies (NGB) on Thursday, November 24.
The presentation’s content constructed a case for ‘Sport’ as a facilitator to the country’s repute and financial standing.
The main aim was to raise Irish Sport’s funding that has recently suffered from some insensitive budget cuts and is precariously close to more of the same.
Since the last two years, sport’s financing has reduced significantly and the trend is foreseen to be carried forward to the next three years.
While in 2008 the funding amount equalled €141.83 million, this year the level fell down to a mere €86.4 million – of this amount too, only €46.7 million is up for distribution among different sports and the remaining €39.7 million is reserved for funding
the previously made grant commitments.
The presentation emphasized on sports funding being an investment rather than an expense, and that too, one with high rates of return.
This claim was set against the dreary backdrop of economic crisis to highlight the importance of economic returns in this day and age.
Furthermore, the NGBs’ delegation outlined the spill-over benefits of the Irish Sport. Revenue generation is just one aspect of the impact of sport. Health, tourism and nation branding all undergo positive influence when sport is promoted.
Sport is currently providing employment to 38,000 people in Ireland and the consumption of sports related goods comes up to €1.9 billion on an annual basis in the country.
The delegation also dropped in a note of disappointment at not being included in the recent Economic Network Forum in Dublin Castle, when they are crucial contributors to the Irish economy, with the potential of even more.
The74 NGB delegation included notables like FAI, GAA, IRFU, GUI, Olympic Council of Ireland and the Federation of Irish Sport (which is the representative organization for all NGBs as well as 30 Local Sports Partnerships).
Paraic Duffy (GAA), John Delaney (FAI), Philip Browne (IRFU), Sarah Keane (Swim Ireland), Fergus Murphy (Chairman, Federation of Irish Sport) and Sarah O’Connor (CEO, Federation of Irish Sport) were all present for the session as part of the delegation.
“Sport wants to be part of the re-building of Ireland and the Irish economy. As a priority we want the government to bring together all of the key players in Irish sport with a view to developing a Master Plan and a real Vision for Irish Sport for the next
5 years,” Sarah O’Connor said.
This comment was part of the presentation. O’Connor further elaborated on the Master Plan to be a broad view of sport. It will incorporate within itself an analysis of where money is spent and match it up with where the money is needed to be spent.
The Master Plan will be covering the often neglected but crucial aspects such as health and tourism in the context of sport. Meanwhile sport will serve as the nation’s Image Photoshop – a tool to enhance Ireland’s impression on the international community.
She also invited the government to work through the Sports Capital Fund allotment with the sport authorities. The allocation will be made on the basis of priorities set and submitted by each of the NGBs.
She identified tourism to be of key importance in terms of rapid and significant impact created by sport.
The presentation closed with the crux of the session, encapsulated by O’Conner in the comment below.
“Our vision is an Ireland in which sport is allowed to realise its full potential. We believe the government should support that view, embrace it and help us achieve it”.
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