Everyone knows that sporting success can enhance the mood of the entire nation, which makes the establishment of an Irish Institute of Sport seem like a win-win situation. Launched by Taoiseach Bertie Ahern, the institute has the simple mission of producing sporting champions for Ireland by creating the best possible environment to influence, support and sustain success where it matters most - namely at the Olympics and at the World and European championships.
There was some surprise when former GAA president Seán Kelly was appointed the first executive chairman of the institute, prompting rumours of political manoeuvring. His immediate role is to oversee the appointment of the four key positions within the institute - the chief technical officer, the athlete services' officer, the chief science officer and the chief medical officer.
It seems unlikely that the level of expertise for these posts will be found in Ireland and suitable candidates will need to be tempted away from existing positions. It is already known that one of the country's most established sports medical specialists declined a role because of the uncertainties involved.
The institute is due to be the centrepiece of the Government's grand plans for a sporting campus at Abbotstown in west Dublin, but that project still seems too vague to get excited about and it will remain so until it is up and running.
The institute has been allocated €1 million to find its feet before the end of the year, with an annual budget of €3.5 million to follow in 2007. And existing elite sports funding, €6.3 million this year, will continue to go to the athletes and governing bodies involved.
The institute advisory group went to great lengths to compare budgets and structures of other sporting institutes around the world, especially those comparable with Ireland. New Zealand, with an almost identical population and track record of sporting performance, commits about €10.5 million to high-performance sport each year, but with 31 full-time staff at their institute. Closer to home, the figures were either similar or higher (Denmark commits €17.5 million, Norway €10.2 million).
The ultimate measure of the success of the institute will be the performance of Ireland's elite athletes at future Olympic, World and European competitions. No one really believes that the new body will make a difference for the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, but with London 2012 looming on the horizon - the closest we will ever get to hosting the Games - Irish athletes should by then have an improved chance of reaching their full potential.