Nov 15, 2022
The Federation of Irish Sport welcomes the news announced today that Sport Ireland has today opened the application process for €35 million of funding in response to the rising energy costs crisis.
The purpose of the funding, which was secured as part of Budget 2023, is to support National Governing Bodies of Sport (NGBs) and their affiliated Clubs with the rising energy costs associated with the provision of sport throughout the winter period.
Commenting on the opening of the application process, Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, Catherine Martin TD, said: “Sports clubs and National Governing bodies form the backbone of many communities across Ireland and this Government is steadfast in our support for these organisations. For this reason, we are rolling out the Energy Support Scheme which we are confident will be of enormous help to those who access it.”
Minister of State for Sport and the Gaeltacht, Jack Chambers TD, added: “This Government is committed to a healthy, vibrant sports sector as we all know the many benefits that involvement in sport and physical activity bring to individuals and communities. Grassroots clubs as well as National Governing Bodies are key components of the sports sector and I am very pleased to be able to support them through the Energy Support Scheme. This will help to ensure clubs and communities can keep their floodlights on, sports halls heated and cover a range of energy related costs over the colder, darker winter months.”
Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Michael McGrath TD said: “This Government recognises the immense value of sport to communities all across Ireland and is committed to assisting the sport sector in the current difficult environment of high inflation. The Energy Support Scheme, underpinned by €35 million in funding provided in the Budget, is a timely and effective means of ensuring funding gets to local clubs. We are pleased to be able to provide this support to the National Governing Bodies and their members as the appropriate vehicle to distribute this vital funding support.”
CEO of Sport Ireland Una May said: “We are delighted to announce details of this Energy Support Scheme aimed at supporting our National Governing Bodies and their clubs at a time of need and, along with various support schemes announced and rolled out during the recent Covid-19 pandemic, it shows the commitment of the Government to supporting a robust sports sector. I would like to thank Ministers Martin and Chambers for their assistance in getting this scheme implemented and we would also like to extend our thanks to Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Michael McGrath.”
Funding guidelines have been disseminated to all Sport Ireland funded NGBs. The closing date for applications from these organisations will be Friday, November 25th 2022.
Clubs affiliated to Sport Ireland Funded NGBs should engage directly with their relevant NGB with any queries they may have in relation to the Scheme.
Depending on the level of submissions, the outcome of those deliberations will be communicated to NGBs in December. NGBs will begin the disbursement of this funding to their relevant clubs, affiliate organisations from January 2023 onwards.
Sport Ireland will retain a portion of the overall funding to address any anomalies or unknown need that may arise in NGBs in the New Year, or in relation to community sports facilities (e.g. swimming pools, community facilities not specifically affiliated to NGBs) which do not qualify for TBESS or other support schemes through DRCD or the Local Authorities. Further enquiries in this regard should be made directly to ngb@sportireland.ie
Nov 3, 2022
Credibility of insurance reform process damaged as liability insurers pocket benefits
- The total number of claims in the country has been falling dramatically since peaking in 2016; the 2022 total will be the lowest in over 15 years1
- Overall, the average award in Jan-Jun 2022 was €14,786, 38% lower than before Judicial Guidelines were implemented
- PIAB reports average acceptance rate of awards has risen to 48%, up from 36% in May 2021
- Liability insurance premiums continue to increase
The Alliance for Insurance Reform has called on Government to get serious with the insurance industry following confirmation from the Personal Injuries Assessment Board (PIAB) that the new Judicial Personal Injuries Guidelines continue to have a very positive and improving impact on personal injury claims costs.
Peter Boland, Director of the Alliance, said “We welcome today’s report from PIAB showing serious reductions in the total number of personal injury claims, the average awards and the numbers of claimants heading to litigation. Liability insurers are pocketing these benefits and it is up to Government to get serious with them to ensure that the benefits are passed on in premium reductions to SMEs, voluntary and community groups, charities and sports and cultural organisations struggling with the costs of staying open.”
Tracy Sheridan, owner of Kidspace play centres in Rathfarnham and Rathcoole and director of the Alliance said “Insurers have repeatedly and consistently maintained to the Cost of Insurance Working Group, the Personal Injuries Commission, the Oireachtas Finance Committee and elsewhere that the cost of claims drives the cost of premiums2. This analysis has been verified by the Central Bank’s National Claims Information Database3. The reforms implemented by Government and the Judiciary mean that the claims costs and future risk associated with every motor and liability policy in Ireland have reduced sharply since early 2021. This is being reflected in the competitive motor insurance market, but liability insurance premiums are actually going upwards, tracking +16% in our rolling renewals research.”
Eoin McCambridge, Director of the Alliance said “Insurers are taking liability policyholders and the Government for a ride and damaging the credibility of the Government’s insurance reform programme. From a policyholder perspective, it appears that all the gains being delivered are being used to improve underwriter profitability and bankroll the takeover frenzy in the insurance broker sector. Government must hold insurers to account to ensure that the gains from the Judicial Guidelines and other reforms are passed on immediately and in full. While Government frequently tells us that they cannot dictate premium prices, Government has enormous soft power over the insurance sector, a sector which needs our Government to allow it to function profitably. Additionally, the Department of Finance established an Insurance Competition Office in 2020 but has not yet succeeded in attracting additional underwriting capacity into the market. This office must begin yielding results soon as additional competition is the best way of keeping insurers honest.”
In conclusion Peter Boland said “The challenges of staying open for Irish SMEs, voluntary and community groups, charities and sports and cultural organisations have never been greater in our nation’s recent history. Of all these challenges, the insurance crisis is the one closest to being solved by Government. Insurers must act in good faith on the progress already made.”
For further details go to:https://insurancereform.ie/news/
Oct 27, 2022
Sport Ireland have today published the Irish Sports Monitor 2022 Mid-Year Report, showing that participation in sport continued to rise in 2022 and recover from the impact of Covid-19. During the first half of 2022, sports participation rates reached 44%, still slightly behind the 2019 level of 46% but above levels recorded in 2021.The Irish Sports Monitor (ISM) is a large population study undertaken biennially in order to provide trends in participation in sport and physical activity in Ireland.
The Mid-Year Report represents the results for the first six months of data collected on the Irish Sports Monitor 2022 (ISM 2022). Comparisons are provided between Q1 and Q2 2022, along with equivalent research conducted in 2019, 2020 and 2021 Among the other findings in the report, research shows that attendance at events has returned to the level measured in 2019, with 19% of people spectating at a sport event in the last seven days in Q2 2022.
However, the return of club memberships and volunteering has slowed in 2022, with little change in club membership (31% in Q2 2022 compared to 36% in 2019) and volunteering (9% in Q2 2022 compared to 12% in 2019). Almost one in three people, 29%, would like to try a new sport. The most popular sports people would like to try are tennis (11%), Rugby (11%), Swimming (9%), Golf (8%) and Basketball (8%). Enjoyment and fun is the most popular reason for wanting to try new sports followed by improving fitness and health.
The Irish Sports Monitor 2022 Mid-Year Report can be found here.
Oct 12, 2022
The Federation of Irish Sport is delighted to be organising a research project, funded by Sports Ireland and is being conducted with the support researchers in University College Cork. The study has been approved by the UCC Social Research Ethics Committee.
Over 450,000 volunteers make sport happen each week in over 13,000 clubs nationwide. It is important to gain insights into the motivations and intentions of volunteers themselves to continue in their role, perceptions on succession and transition in volunteering roles in sport in Ireland, and the effect of the COVID pandemic on the work undertaken by volunteers and their intentions to continue volunteering. This study will also assess from an organisational perspective the level of engagement of volunteers in Irish sport, the extent to which there are transition and succession processes in place to ensure sustainable volunteering, the barriers to recruitment and retention of volunteers, and the effect of the COVID pandemic on volunteering.
Participation in the study is voluntary and all data gathered is fully anonymous and confidential.
For more details contact: info@irishsport.ie
Sep 29, 2022
- €35m package for sports clubs and organisations facing increased energy costs
- Extra €4m to support High Performance in lead-in to 2024 Paris Olympics
- Extra €4m for Sport Ireland for delivery of Sport Action Plan
In response to the Budget 2023 the Federation of Irish Sport welcomes the support to sports clubs and organisations in assisting with increased energy costs associated with facility use. It is a much-needed support, and the Federation recognises the backing of Minister Chambers and the department on this measure.
In addition to the €35 million package there is also an addition of an €8 million increase for high-level performance sport, a new coaching fund and completion of the national swimming strategy.
The Federation also recognises that since the publication of the National Sport Policy (NSP) in 2018 there has been an increase of 57% on the 2018 budget for sport (111m) to a budget of €174.8m in 2023. In addition, current funding to Sport Ireland in 2023 is €89.448m which is an increase of 73% on the figure of €51.6m in 2018. The increase in funding is recognition of the vital importance the sector plays in Irish society economically and socially. The commitment from government to continue to support the sector is welcome and underpins the commitment to doubling funding for the sector over the lifetime of the NSP.
“The Federation welcomes the energy subsidy provision in Budget 2023 for the sector as it is much needed to keep our facilities running during the winter months. We are encouraged that the increase in funding will provide the necessary means to support NGBs and LSPs in their work and is an indication of the governments commitment to support the core activities of our members” Federation CEO Mary O’Connor said.
The Federation of Irish Sport is confident that the measures proposed by it in relation to fulfilling Action 3.7 of the Sports Policy action plan 2021-2023, will provide the Department of Finance, and Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media with feasible reforms to the taxation system to have a sustained solution to reducing NGB and LSP reliance on government funding and looks forward to working with Minister Chambers and the department further on this matter.
In addition to this the federation will also continue to engage on the important topics of sugar tax reallocation and the tackling of the scourge of problematic gambling. Both of which will continue to be a burden on the nation if not addressed.
Ends
Sep 28, 2022
The Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, Catherine Martin TD, and Minister of State, Jack Chambers TD, today announced details of €1,142m gross funding allocated to the department in Budget 2023. These new funding streams and measures run in parallel to, and in addition to, the wider, all-of-society Cost of Living support measures announced by the Government yesterday. Separately, the Government has announced a strong package of horizontal supports, helping citizens, practitioners, organisations and groups manage the current cost of living increases.
Click here for full details of the announcement.
