The Government has announced a €5.5 million investment by Sport Ireland under Phase III of the Sports Energy Support Scheme.

The funding will support local sport clubs, community-led sports facilities, national facilities and major stadiums to reduce the impact of increased energy costs and ensure the sustainability of Irish sports clubs.

Under previous rounds of the Scheme, a total of €23.5m was distributed through Sport Ireland Recognised National Governing Bodies of Sport and Local Sports Partnerships, benefiting approximately two thousand affiliated clubs and facilities.

This latest investment includes a €5m fund to support publicly accessible Swimming Pools with increased energy costs and ensure they can continue to provide swimming lessons and swimming times to schools, clubs, and the general public.

The Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, Catherine Martin TD said: "This investment will help further alleviate the impact of increased energy costs on sports clubs and organisations, allowing them to continue to provide communities with access to sports facilities. Support for sport remains a priority for this government. Since 2020, €177 million in COVID-19 funding has been provided to sector, which when combined with the €29 million distributed under the Sports Energy Support Scheme, means that over €200 million in additional funding has been invested in the sector over the last four years. The government remains committed to increasing the annual sports budget allocation to €220 million by 2027 and this is reflected in the increased budget allocation for 2024."

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The Minister of State for Sport and Physical Education, Thomas Byrne TD, said:

"As a Government, we want to boost participation levels in all sports, across all sectors of society. In order to achieve this aim, we are determined to provide financial support to the sporting community, which meets its needs. The Sports Energy Support Scheme has greatly assisted sports organisations and clubs to remain viable, allowing them to continue the great work they do, in promoting positive health and wellbeing throughout our country. I particularly welcome the allocation of €5 million to publicly accessible Swimming Pools as we work towards the publication of Ireland’s first National Swimming Strategy. I thank Sport Ireland for their hard work in administering this scheme over the past year."

Speaking on behalf of Sport Ireland, Dr. Úna May said: "The further extension of the Sports Energy Support Scheme demonstrates the government’s ongoing commitment to supporting our sports clubs and facilities across the country. In total, €29 million in government funding has been distributed by Sport Ireland under the Scheme. This funding has significantly mitigated the impact of increased energy costs on sports clubs and organisations and allowed them to focus on their primary goal of increasing access to sport and physical activity."