Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 17 December 2025
269. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport the key measures taken to support sport during 2025; his priorities for 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [73138/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy first year as Minister with responsibility for Sport has been busy and rewarding, with record levels of participation.
Government investment in sport is essential to increasing participation levels in all sports, across all sectors of society. When the National Sports Policy was published in 2018, it set a commitment to double investment in sport to more than €220 million by 2027. The funding allocation for sport in 2025 is over €234 million. This means that, two years ahead of schedule, state funding for sport has more than doubled compared to 2018 levels. In 2026, we will invest over €300 million in sport, an increase of €67 million or 28.7%, compared to the 2025 allocation. Since 2018, Government has invested well over €1 billion in sports infrastructure and development.
The result of this increased investment is that the rate of active sports participation among adults is now 49%, the highest it has ever been, and the participation gap between men and women is now below 3%.
Increasing female participation in all aspects of sport is a core priority for me. This year and next, we will invest €4 million in the Women in Sport programme, reinforcing our commitment to further narrowing the gender participation gap.
An additional €1million was allocated in Budget 2025 to establish a new and dedicated Disability in Sport funding stream. This enabled Sport Ireland to appoint a Disability in Sport Lead who will work with National Government Bodies (NGBs), Local Sports Partnerships (LSPs) and other sporting bodies to develop and promote the inclusion of people with disabilities in sport.
In 2025, a record €27 million was invested in High Performance sport and this will be increased to €28.5 million in 2026. We are committed to reach €30 million per annum in High Performance funding before the 2028 LA Olympics.
Government has made available several forms of tax relief to promote investment in sport. Most recently, in the last Finance Act, building on the success of existing capital reliefs, provision was made for a transferable tax relief for donations to NGBs for specific purposes, including investment in equipment and high performance programmes.
Ireland introduced its International Sports Diplomacy Framework this year. My Department, with cooperation from the Department of Foreign Affairs, organised and held an International Sports Diplomacy Conference last month which heard the views of major stakeholders across Irish sport, academia, industry and charities, as to how Ireland can best use sports diplomacy to promote our values. The feedback will inform concrete actions for stakeholders across the government and the sporting system, to maximise our impact, in the coming years.
The Department also hosted a successful Sport and Environmental Sustainability Conference last month, highlighting many ground-breaking initiatives from a range of sporting organisations. The Conference will inform the establishment of a Sport and Environmental Sustainability Working Group in 2026. We will ensure that sustainability remains to the fore in the implementation of the Sports Action Plan and that we drive environmental improvements, to ensure that future generations inherit not only a love of sport but also a healthy environment in which to play and compete.
My Department continues to support the hosting of major sports events in Ireland. Last September, the first ever NFL game to be held in Ireland took place in Croke Park. The sellout fixture was a resounding success, attracting global attention. With UEFA Euro 2028 and the 2027 Ryder Cup on the horizon, it’s clear that Ireland is a top-class host nation for these major occasions. Ensuring that these events leave a lasting legacy for communities, drive economic growth, and impact positively on sports participation, will continue to be a priority.
With regard to capital funding, we have made provision for another round of funding under the Community Sport Facilities Fund in 2026, as well as an increase in support for the Large Scale Sport Infrastructure Fund, recognising the roll out of projects already announced. We will continue to develop our National Sports Campus, with work due to commence shortly on the new National Velodrome and Badminton Centre and on the National Cricket Centre, later in 2026.
In 2026, additional funding for Sport Ireland will enable multi-year funding of NGBs and LSPs, as well as a new fund to improve regional sporting events. We will also provide the FAI with €3 million to kick-start their Academies programme and introduce support for the growth of hurling in urban areas and other non-traditional hurling parts of the country.
To coincide with Ireland’s hosting of the EU Council presidency next year, my Department will host a Presidency Conference on traditional sports and games in Dublin, drawing together domestic and international stakeholders. In addition, we will be organising a senior officials meeting in Dublin and hosting the continent-wide launch event for the European Week of Sport. My Department will also bring forward a policy document on supporting traditional sports and games across Europe at EU Council level.
The Government is committed to continue supporting our sporting ecosystem so more people can participate, reap the benefits of sport, and fulfil their potential, from grassroots right up to high performance level.
