Move by AAI is rewarded

IRISH SPORTS COUNCIL GRANTS: The Athletics Association of Ireland (AAI) have been rewarded for their extensive restructuring in recent months with the most lucrative sporting governing body grant for 2006. A total of €7.63 million across 57 sports was announced by the Irish Sports Council yesterday, with €750,000 going to the AAI.

That represents an extra €265,000 on last year's allocation, reflecting the increased professionalism now being adopted by the AAI. Brendan Hackett was recently appointed the association's first chief executive officer, and four more full-time positions are due to be filled in the weeks ahead.

The AAI had been working closely with the Sports Council on major changes in the management process, and yesterday's grant represents the largest ever allocation to the organisation from the council under "core funding".

Basketball Ireland received the next highest grant, €534,032, in part because of their plans to support a wide range of initiatives to increase participation in the sport at grassroots level. This also follows on from Basketball Ireland's decision to appoint regional development officers to roll out programmes in schools and clubs locally.

Last month, the Irish Sports Council budget for 2006 was set at €40.9 million, up from the €13.4 million in 2000, when it first came into full operation. Yesterday's announcement does not include the funding to three major governing bodies, the GAA, the FAI and the IRFU, for their participation programmes (usually around €10 million in total).

With two grants still outstanding, the final figure will represent a 10 per cent increase on the amount going to sporting bodies this year, with €7 million allocated to core grants in 2005. The core activities covered by the grants include administration of the sports, the employment of professional staff, coach development and assorted development activities. There are currently 194 full-time and 38 part-time staff employed by the sports eligible under this grant scheme. For certain sports it may also include hosting events and programmes aimed at increasing participation.

Yesterday's figure of €7.63 million doesn't include the high performance supports for focus sports and individual elite athletes, which will be announced early next month. Governing bodies will also benefit under the Women in Sport initiative, worth €2.5 million, to be allocated later in 2006.

The Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism, John O'Donoghue, expressed his appreciation for the contribution of the organisations to Irish sporting life and highlighted the increases in funding since 1999. "The level of sustained investment in the governing bodies reflects their central place in Irish sport," he said. "In my view, strong governing bodies are essential to the long-term development of Irish sport."

The Irish Cricket Union are among the other governing bodies to find their grants well up on last year, partly to recognise that for the first time an Irish team have qualified for the Cricket World Cup. The €217,878 funding will help the Irish team prepare for the 2007 World Cup in the West Indies, and also support the team at next month's under-19 World Cup in Sri Lanka.

The Sports Council are also providing Swim Ireland with enhanced funding to add to their staff, in particular with a director of education to be appointed early in 2006. Swim Ireland will receive an additional €72,750, raising their allocation to €463,500.

The council are also supporting a number of special sports events to be hosted in Ireland in 2006 - including the Irish Wheelchair Association-Sport (€14,000 towards the World Junior Wheelchair Athletics Championships in July at Santry Stadium), the Irish Hockey Association (€10,000 toward the hosting of the under-16 Boys European Youth Championship at the National Hockey Stadium from July 11th-16th) and the Irish Sailing Association will host two major championships this year and have received €45,000 from the ISC.