Sport Ireland and CSO sign Memorandum of Understanding

Sport Ireland and the Central Statistics Office have signed a Memorandum of Understanding in relation to data collection, analysis and insights provision to better understand the value of sport to the Irish economy.  

This will be done through the construction of an economic framework to improve the understanding of the value of sport to the Irish economy.  

Sport generates significant economic activity, primarily driven by the 2.1 million weekly sports participants and their expenditure on sports equipment and club or gym memberships. Economic value is also created by participation and spectating of sport events, sport-related tourism and cost savings to health services. Previous research on the Value of Sport already tells us that sport pays back multiples of what government invests.  

This agreement between Sport Ireland and the CSO will deliver more exact data to allow Sport Ireland to implement evidence-based strategies to advance the Sport Ireland vision of an active Ireland where everyone can enjoy the lifelong benefits of sport and physical activity. 

In 2018 sport and sport-related spending was valued at €3.7bn, or 1.4% of the Irish economy in terms of Gross Value Added (GVA), while sport and sport-related activities created over 64,000 jobs, 2.4% of all employment. Furthermore, sport-related volunteering is estimated to be worth around €1.5bn to Irish society. 

The 2021 Sport Ireland Value of Sport Report showed that in 2019, 97,000+ cases of illness were prevented in Ireland through sport and physical activity and €0.4bn in health and cost savings were generated by sport and physical activity.  

Sport Ireland wants to update analysis such as this with the most recent research on the health benefits of physical activity and the most recent data on physical activity levels. 

Earlier this year an evaluation of the Physical Activity for Health programme showed it has successfully helped almost 5,000 people living with chronic conditions access and engage in physical activity in their local communities.  

Research has shown that regular physical activity is one of the most effective things a person can do for their physical and mental health, which reduces pressure on public health spending. The Irish Sports Monitor 2025 survey already shows that more people than ever before are taking part in sport every week in Ireland. Sport Ireland is committed to extending those benefits to as many people as possible.     

The research garnered from the MOU will allow Sport Ireland to better advocate for investment in sport and give the Government a powerful tool to inform national sports policy.   

It will deliver research that will be actionable by our key stakeholders including Government Departments and Agencies, National Governing Bodies and Local Sports Partnerships. 

The economic framework referenced in the MOU is a Sport Satellite Account. Exploring the development of a Sport Satellite Account (SSA) for Ireland to improve the understanding of the value of sport to the Irish economy is an action of the Sports Action Plan 2024-2027. 

Memorandum of Understanding - CSO and Sports Ireland 

Sources: Sport Ireland; Researching the Value of Sport in Ireland; National Sports Policy; Sport Ireland Physical Activity for Health Programme evaluation.