Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 8 July 2025
479. Deputy Joanna Byrne asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport the funding earmarked for the development of grassroots football academies and player development; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37470/25]
View answerThe development of football is fundamentally a matter for the FAI, which, like all National Governing Bodies of sport (NGBs), is an independent, autonomous body that is responsible for the organisation and development of its own sport.
The Programme for Government includes a commitment to explore new mechanisms for the creation of football academies with the FAI and the League of Ireland. An important piece of work in this context is supported by an additional funding grant of €1 million to the FAI in 2024, including €300,000 to enable it to produce a detailed report on the development of football academies. I expect that the report will include a deep baseline audit of existing academy structures and needs, and that this will inform the development of any academy development plan. I understand that this audit is currently underway .
The additional funding also enabled the FAI to recently appoint an Academies Administrator, to support the development of new academy programmes and to track their impact.
I look forward to further engagement with the FAI on this topic and to receiving the report in due course.
