Ministers Martin and O’Brien welcome €6.4m in Dormant Accounts Funding for Sport

Sport Ireland has today (Friday, 15 December) announced an increased spending package of €6.4m in Dormant Accounts Funding allocated by the Government for 2023.

The Dormant Accounts Funding enables unclaimed funds from accounts in credit institutions in Ireland to be utilised to support the delivery of projects focused on overcoming the barriers and challenges to participation for those in diverse communities, regardless of socio-economic background, gender, disability, sexual orientation or ethnicity.

The Dormant Accounts Fund is overseen by Minister of State for Community Development, Integration and Charities, Joe O’Brien TD who this week welcomed €6.4 million in funding for sport.

This is the second round of Dormant Accounts Funding allocated by the Government this year following an earlier investment package of €4.86 million, allocated for Local Sports Partnerships and Active Disability Ireland.

The Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, Catherine Martin TD, and the Minister of State Joe O’Brien, have welcomed the additional investment which will support a wide range of sport and physical activity areas, in particular Diversity, Inclusion & Equality activities and Disability Sport measures.

The funding allocated by the Government will impact positively on communities across Ireland through grants to National Governing Bodies of Sport (NGBs). The investment builds on Sport Ireland’s work in this area to date and aims to expand and enhance the delivery of the Government’s ‘Sport for All’ initiatives along with Sport Ireland’s Diversity & Inclusion, Disability and Women in Sport Policies. A total of €6,416,500 will support 40 National Governing Bodies of Sport (NGBs) through seven Dormant Accounts Fund Schemes.

Welcoming the funding, Minister O’Brien said:

“Dormant Accounts funding makes a real difference to individuals and communities right across the country. The 52 measures approved for funding under Dormant Accounts funding will be implemented across Government and will help to address a diverse range of issues such as long-term unemployment, Traveller equality, youth disadvantage and migrant integration. The fund will help ensure that we can continue to support those who need it most during these challenging times.”

A €1.7m Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Fund will continue to allow NGBs to deliver suitable projects and initiatives which support the five pillars of Sport Ireland’s Policy on Diversity and Inclusion in Sport; change, communication, access, capacity and leadership.

Speaking about the new round of Dormant Account Funding, Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, Catherine Martin TD said:
“This latest round of funding shows the Government’s continuing commitment to bringing the benefits of sport and physical activity to those experiencing disadvantage or with disabilities. A particular highlight is the allocation of €1.7m to The Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Fund, to support initiatives such as the IRFU’s Spirit Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion projects aimed at making their grounds more accessible, formats of the game more socially engaging and growing participation rates of women and girls, ethnic minorities, and members of the LGBTQI+ community. These will help increase participation in sport and physical activity in local communities.”

Building on 2022’s ‘Sport for All’ Fund, a dedicated €2.2m Local Disability Sports Fund has been put in place to initiate, advance or accelerate local disability initiatives within NGB Club Networks and Affiliates. This fund will enable clubs to deliver disability specific activities, providing inclusive opportunities for participation for people with a disability.

Reflecting the priorities of the National Sports Policy a total of €575,000 has been provided to support initiatives to increase walking, running, swimming and cycling across Ireland. The 2023 Funding will also see continued investment into the development of NGB Led Community Sports Hubs in Dublin, Galway and Limerick.

Chief Executive of Sport Ireland, Dr. Úna May, commented: “Dormant Accounts Funding enables Sport Ireland to further support the sports sector through our National Governing Bodies, funded bodies and our network of Local Sports Partnerships to deliver equal opportunities for everyone to avail of the lifelong benefits of sport and physical activity.

A full breakdown of the funding is included below:

Funding Allocations 2023

National Governing Body / Funded Body EDI Fund Get Ireland Projects Volunteer Supports Her Moves Innovation for Sports Inclusion Local Disability Sports Fund Sports Hubs Total

Gaelic Games* €100,000 – €55,000 €40,000 – €430,000 – €625,000

Athletics Ireland – €150,000 €42,500 €20,000 – €100,000 €62,000 €374,500

Swim Ireland – €150,000 €30,000 €20,000 €70,000 €60,000 – €330,000

Irish Sailing €75,000 – €60,000 €16,000 €50,000 €60,000 €62,000 €323,000

Cricket Ireland €75,000 – €35,500 €10,000 €75,000 €50,000 €62,000 €307,500

Special Olympics Ireland €75,000 – €60,000 – – €165,000 – €300,000

Football Association of Ireland – – – – – €280,000 – €280,000

Basketball Ireland €75,000 – €60,000 €20,000 €70,000 €50,000 – €275,000

Tennis Ireland €75,000 – – €15,000 – €175,000 – €265,000

Vision Sports Ireland €75,000 – €60,000 – €75,000 €37,000 – €247,000

Irish Rugby Football Union €75,000 – – – – €170,000 – €245,000

Mountaineering Ireland €61,500 €125,000 €26,000 €20,000 – €10,000 – €242,500

Badminton Ireland €75,000 – €60,000 €15,000 – €30,000 €62,000 €242,000

Cycling Ireland – €150,000 €30,000 €10,000 – €40,000 – €230,000

Irish Athletic Boxing Association €75,000 – €60,000 €10,000 – €70,000 – €215,000

Canoeing Ireland €50,000 – €60,000 €20,000 – €60,000 – €190,000

Rowing Ireland €75,000 – €45,000 €16,000 – €20,000 – €156,000

Golf Ireland €63,500 – €5,000 – €30,000 €50,000 – €148,500

Gymnastics Ireland €75,000 – – – – €70,000 – €145,000

Irish Wheelchair Association Sport €50,000 – €23,000 €12,000 – €60,000 – €145,000

Volleyball Ireland €65,000 – €60,000 €17,000 – – – €142,000

Hockey Ireland €50,000 – €44,600 €12,000 – €30,000 – €136,600

Pitch and Putt Ireland €34,500 – €46,000 – – €40,000 – €120,500

Irish Olympic Handball Association €75,000 – €15,000 – – €25,000 – €115,000

Tug of War Ireland €64,000 – €10,000 – – – – €74,000

Weightlifting Ireland €0 – – – €60,000 – €60,000

Irish Squash €48,500 – – €8,000 – – – €56,500

Orienteering Ireland €43,000 – €6,600 €5,000 – – – €54,600

ONAKAI €17,000 – €13,800 €10,000 – €10,000 – €50,800

National Community Games €50,000 – – – – – – €50,000

Angling Council of Ireland €31,500 – – – €15,000 – €46,500

Archery Ireland – – €9,000 – – €30,000 – €39,000

Triathlon Ireland €12,500 – €16,000 €10,000 – – – €38,500

Table Tennis Ireland €8,500 – – €9,000 – €15,500 – €33,000

Snooker & Billiards Ireland €30,000 – – – – – – €30,000

Sport Ireland Campus – – €30,000 – – – – €30,000

Irish Surfing €12,000 – – – – €12,000 – €24,000

Motorsport Ireland €14,000 – – – – – – €14,000

Deaf Sports Ireland €5,000 – – – – €8,000 – €13,000

Racquetball Association of Ireland – – – – – €2,500 – €2,500

Total €1,710,500 €575,000 €963,000 €315,000 €370,000 €2,235,000 €248,000 €6,416,500

*Sport Ireland will provide consolidated funding to advance a number of individual and collaborative projects within the GAA, LGFA, Camogie Association and GAA Handball. All funding will be released to the GAA for further allocation and distribution. This approach seeks to advance Action 3.6 of the Governments 2021 -2023 Sports Action Plan: Develop a common funding framework to guide the allocation of State funding for Gaelic Games across all codes.