Irish Sports Council announces €7.4 million funding package

The Irish Sports Council today announced an investment package of over €7.4 million to support the work of the major field sports' governing bodies (FAI, GAA, IRFU) in developing their games around the country at a grass roots level.

This funding is designated to fund extensive participation programmes aimed at encouraging and creating more opportunities for young people to participate in field sports.

The GAA received€2.4 million, the FAI (€2.7 million)and €2.36 million for the IRFU. The government investment supports the Irish Sports Council’s strategic aim of increasing participation in sports throughout Ireland.

This includes coach development, club support, under age programmes, volunteer support programmes, community schemes, referee development and targeting at-risk communities.

Kieran Mulvey, Chairperson of the Irish Sports Council explained "We are pleased to announce this investment today. These programmes are based on a shared ethos of developing the grass roots of the games, growing participation numbers and targeting communities outside of the traditional base of the sport".

At the announcement in the Aviva Stadium John Treacy, CEO, Irish Sports Council highlighted the importance of the partnership acknowledged; "The Irish Sports Council are delighted to share a common goal with the GAA, IRFU and FAI to increase participation in sport and physical activity.

“In 2014, with the support of the Irish Sports Council over 700,000 participants from 4,784 clubs will take part in programmes delivered by the FAI, GAA, and IRFU”.

Senior representatives of the three sports, Páraic Duffy of the GAA, John Delaney of the FAI and Philip Browne from the IRFU, made presentations at the launch detailing the progress made in recent years and their plans for 2014.

Field Sports Investment in numbers

• 23% increase in participation at FAI summer soccer schools in 2013

• 81,275 participants attended 1,042 GAA Cul Camps across the country

• 30% increase in girls participation in rugby for U-13 to U-19 since 2010

• 23,155 registered female football players (up 85% since 2006)

• 85% of primary schools had a GAA Go Games Coaching Programme

• 14,000 games of age grade rugby are played at affiliated schools per annum

• 17,040 children participated in 5-a-side football competitions across 956 primary schools

• 6.2% growth in children’s participation rates in Dublin Hurling between 2012-2013

• 63% of rugby clubs now have a women’s participation programme, increasing annually