As Minister for Defence, I am pleased to say that my Department has a continuing programme of sail training in Ireland, operated under a performance delivery agreement with Sail Training Ireland, who are a registered charity.
Funding was approved by my Department in December 2018 for the two year period 2019-2020 Training voyages, and funding, resumed in 2022 post Co-Vid, and have continued to date under successive performance delivery agreements. In total, this organisation has placed 4,336 young people (between the age of 14 and 30 years of age) on voyages.
Since 2023, the Department has paid a subvention totalling €150,000 each year. A key condition of the funding is that it is directed towards making sail training accessible to those who might otherwise not have the opportunity to participate. From a baseline number of 341 trainees when the Department approved funding in 2018, the number of participants has grown to 479 in 2025. 83% of the 2025 participants received funding from the charity due to their personal circumstances, and 30% of the participants had a disability or additional need. All 26 counties had participants on the programme in 2025.
Access for disadvantaged or underrepresented groups is assured because the organisation works with a network of over 100 other nominating organisations, who are working with young people on a daily basis and can identify those that need or could benefit from the opportunity. The nominating organisations include community groups, social workers, schools, Foroige, Tusla, medical professionals, Garda Diversion Groups, charities, youth groups, unemployment organisations, recovery services, traveller groups, migrant organisations, homeless groups and others. I am committed to this programme, which is operating very successfully, and funding will continue in 2026.
