The Irish Sports Council confirmed its High Performance Funding for 2012 on Tuesday 14 February. As a mark of the good work being done by the Triathlon Ireland elite athletes and High Performance Programme, Triathlon Ireland saw an increase in High Performance Funding from €196,000 in 2011 to €245,000 in 2012.
As Triathlon Ireland noted, ‘This increase in the face of the Irish Sports Council budget cuts is a great endorsement of the sport of triathlon and will play a vital role in supporting our already established elite athletes and continuing to develop a world class junior program.’
Along with funding of the Triathlon Ireland High Performance Programme, pro triathletes Aileen Morrison and Gavin Noble received individual funding under the International Carding Scheme. This funding goes towards individual athlete expenses such as travel, nutrition, equipment etc.
Michael Ring TD, Minister for Tourism & Sport made the Irish Sports Council announcement in Dublin on Tuesday. He said, “2012 is a critically important year for Irish sport and it is vital that financial support is made available to athletes to ensure the best possible preparation for London 2012. Everyone knows that we are going through some difficult economic times but I was determined to ensure our top athletes were protected in the run up to the most important event of their sporting careers.
“The level of success of Irish sports people has been incredible over the past few years and it is a source of pride that the Irish public has been supporting them all the way”.
The Chairman of the Irish Sports Council Kieran Mulvey added, “I made a commitment in December 2010 that there would be no reduction in high performance funding up to the London 2012 Olympic & Paralympic Games. That promise has been honoured and the Council is providing a very significant investment package for our top athletes. It has been a remarkably successful few years for Irish sport and there is a real return on taxpayers’ investment by our elite sportspeople. We wish them the very best for the exciting year ahead.”
Overall, in 2012 €6.68 million will be invested in Performance Plans; the equivalent figure in 2011 was €6.86 million. The overall package includes funding of €440,000 for the Olympic Council of Ireland in 2012. The OCI is responsible for managing the Irish team at the London 2012 Camps. The funding this year will support the provision of pre-London camps, based at St Mary’s in Twickenham, and goes towards other sports services and administration costs.
