Irish rowers win big as Sport Ireland announces record high performance investment

Sport Ireland has announced its final high performance funding for the Paris Olympic cycle with an additional investment of €25 million, with Irish rowing once again the big winner as it looks to build on its Tokyo medal success.

It brings the total investment in the Paris cycle for the 19 National Governing Bodies (NGBs) up to €89 million, starting in 2021, a substantial increase on the €59 million which was invested in the Tokyo cycle.

This includes €4.4 million in direct athlete funding under the international carding scheme, which for 2024 will support 123 athletes from 16 NGBs, with 33 athletes in all awarded the top-tier category of podium funding, worth €40,000.

Rowing Ireland has 16 athletes on this top-tier funding, compared to four in boxing and just three in athletics, bringing their total of international carding scheme to €863,000, with Athletics Ireland next highest with €645,000.

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Rowing Ireland also tops the overall high-performance investment with €1,093,334 for 2024 (€3.9 million for the Paris Olympic cycle) ahead of Paralympics Ireland (€1 million/€3.7 million), the Irish Athletic Boxing Association (€965,000/€3.5 million) and Athletics Ireland (€841,666/€3.365 million)

From 2021-2024, Sport Ireland will have also invested €3.195 million in the Olympic Federation of Ireland, which includes an allocation of €850,000 to support the costs associated with the Paris Games. For Paralympics Ireland, Sport Ireland will provide €2.813 million this cycle, which includes €800,000 for the 2024 Paralympic Games.

According to figures released as part of Tuesday’s announcement, Irish athletes won a record 99 medals at major international competitions in 2023, while in the Paris Olympic cycle so far (2021-2024), more than 260 medals have been won – well on track to achieve the national sports policy target of 270.

“We have seen public investment in high performance sport rise from €14 million in 2018 to a record €25 million this year,” said Minister of State for Sport Thomas Byrne. “The significant increase in high-performance sport funding over many years demonstrates the Government’s commitment, in collaboration with Sport Ireland, to support our athletes as they strive for success.”

Chief Executive of Sport Ireland, Dr Una May added: “A record level of investment this year and throughout this cycle demonstrates Sport Ireland’s sustained commitment to mirror the dedication of the athletes and teams who represent the nation with such distinction.

“While Sport Ireland’s primary high performance focus is on the long-term development of our system, we’re confident this support has set Team Ireland up to produce their best and savour the experience in Paris.”

Multi-annual high performance programme funding was introduced for the Paris cycle, enabling NGBs to better plan their programmes with a certainty of support from Sport Ireland. This also meant athletes that had achieved criteria for funding would remain on the international carding scheme for 2023 and 2024.

This year alone, €10.8 million will be invested into 19 NGBs, this multiannual funding continuing into the Los Angeles cycle, from 2025-2028.

Before Tokyo, rowing was well down the high performance funding list in eighth. After the medal success in Tokyo (gold for men’s lightweight doubles Gary O’Donovan and Fintan McCarthy, bronze for the women’s four), plus another four medals won at last year’s World Championships, Irish rowing is once again our highest-funded Olympic sport by some distance.

Ireland also finished those World Championships in Belgrade with six boats qualified for Paris: the men’s and women’s pair, men’s and women’s double sculls, and men’s and women’s lightweight double sculls.

Things have come a long way over the last 20 years: before Athens in 2004, €5.3 million was dished out in high performance funding, including just €2 million directly to athletes, up to a maximum of €30,500 per athlete.

High Performance Programme Funding Package – 2024 investment /2021-2024

Rowing Ireland €1,093,334/€3.9 million

Paralympics Ireland €1 million/€3.7 million

Irish Athletic Boxing Association €965,000/€3.5 million

Athletics Ireland €841,666/€3.365 million

Hockey Ireland €856,666/€3.3 million

Irish Sailing Association €800,000/€3.2 million

Horse Sport Ireland €803,334/€3.1 million

Swim Ireland €756,666/€2.9 million

Cycling Ireland €520,000/€2 million

Golf Ireland €516,666/€2 million

Gymnastics Ireland €506,666/€1.75 million

Irish Rugby Football Union €416,666/€1.55 million

Badminton Ireland €346,666/€1.2 million

Cricket Ireland €333,334/ €1.2 million

Pentathlon Ireland €286,666/€1.15 million

Triathlon Ireland €250,000/€1 million

Irish Judo Association €226,666/€750,000

Canoeing Ireland €216,666/€700,000

Irish Taekwondo Union €150,000/€500,000

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