15 Oct 2018
Irish government increases investment in Sport Ireland
BY Tom Walker
Sport Ireland has received a €6.5m (£5.7m) increase in its annual funding levels.
The boost was announced as part of the Irish government's Budget 2019 and the additional funding is designed to help deliver the government's new National Sports Policy, which was published earlier this year.
In total, the budget for sport in 2019 will be €126m, a figure which includes €8.8m for a new Large Scale Sports Infrastructure fund.
The Budget announcement also included a €16m pledge to further develop the infrastructure at the Sport Ireland National Sport Campus.
The campus' National Indoor Arena is currently undergoing a redevelopment, with the second phase of the works expected to be complete in the early part of 2019.
The development, which will contain indoor training pitches and ancillary facilities, will become a key part of Ireland’s sporting infrastructure, along with the National Velodrome and Badminton Centre.
Planning for the Velodrome and Badminton Centre is set to get underway in 2019, with construction commencing sometime in 2020.
Commenting on the budget announcement, Sport Ireland chair, Kieran Mulvey, said the outcome would be a huge positive for Irish sport.
"The government has responded very positively to case made by Sport Ireland and the Irish sporting community with a broad commitment to sport and physical activity in Budget 2019," he said.
“The continued development of the Sport Ireland National Sport Campus is a top priority for the organisation.
"The funding of €16m announced today for the completion of Phase Two of the National Indoor Arena is welcome.
"With the Minister already committed to the commencement of the new National Velodrome and Badminton Centre by 2020, the Campus is augmenting its position as the home of sport in Ireland.
"The allocations in today’s budget demonstrates clear evidence of the government’s commitment to the plan and to sport as a whole."
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