Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 3 March 2026
155. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport if specific funding can be provided to NGBs towards coaching costs (details supplied), to assist in providing sporting opportunities and pathways leading from local sport to national and international competition for their members; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16778/26]
View answerSport Ireland announced a record €33.36 million in core funding for National Governing Bodies of Sport, Local Sports Partnerships and other funded sports bodies on 21 January 2026. This represents a 6.5% increase on 2025 levels and an 87.4% increase on the €17.8 million investment in 2018, when the first National Sports Policy was published.
Of this total, the National Governing Bodies of Sport (NGBs) received an allocation of €19.5 million. This represents an increase of 80% since 2018. As such, the majority of NGBs will receive a 5 to 6% increase in core funding in 2026 compared to last year.
Sport Ireland has prioritised capacity building in volunteer-led NGBs by allocating proportionally higher increases in core funding to enable them to transition towards more professional structures.
In addition to core funding, Sport Ireland will allocate €390,000 in a targeted strategic investment, as part of a pilot initiative in 2026, to support organisational development and workforce capacity in selected NGBs that are identified as having high growth potential.
Sport Ireland is responsible for the development of coaching within Irish sport, advising NGBs on the development of effective coaching systems to support coaches at all levels, assisting them in developing and implementing annual coaching plans, and training Coach Developers to work with coaches on the ground across formal and non-formal learning settings.
The advent of an accredited QQI-recognised Level 7 Special Purpose Award in Sports Coach Development, delivered by Sport Ireland in partnership with Munster Technological University, is illustrative of the considerable progress in this area.
