Sport Ireland welcomes the overall allocation of €302m announced for sport in Budget 2027. 

The allocation for Sport Ireland will be €121.87m. Sport Ireland welcomes this funding. It will support the work of the sports sector and we will continue to work with our partners to use it well.     

John Foley, Chairperson of Sport Ireland, said: “On behalf of the Board of Sport Ireland I would like to welcome the allocation for the Sports Programme in Budget 2026.   

“We welcome the additional funding for High Performance Sport. It will be invested in line with the High Performance Strategy 2021-2032, which targets medals at major international events, including the Olympic and Paralympic Games. We will direct it through well-governed national governing bodies, with clear accountability for how public funds are used and the results they deliver.”  

Sport Ireland CEO Dr Úna May said: “The 2026 Budget allocation shows the Government’s confidence in our shared vision of an active Ireland, where everyone can enjoy the lifelong benefits of sport and physical activity.   

“We're committed to getting more people active, improving high-performance results, increasing funding to the sector, and making sport more inclusive.  

"We welcome the continued investment in NGBs and LSPs to help them drive participation at a local level and enact targeted initiatives to aid them in reaching diverse populations."  

The funding announced includes: 

• An additional €1.6m in support for high-performance athletes ahead of the LA 2028 Olympic Games 
• An additional €1.768m in core funding for national governing bodies of sport and local sports partnerships 
• Ongoing support for the development of the National Velodrome and Badminton Centre and the National Cricket Centre at the Sport Ireland Campus, following the commencement of construction of both projects in 2026 
• An additional €1m to support the development of Gaelic Games, in particular hurling and camogie in non-traditional and urban areas 
• An additional €1m for the inter-county player support scheme 
• An additional €1m to support the development of League of Ireland Academies 
• An additional €500k for the IRFU to support development programmes 
• €22 million to deliver on the Government’s commitments towards hosting of Ryder Cup 2027 and UEFA Euro 2028 

Read the Department of Culture, Communications, and Sport's press release: Ministers O’Donovan and McConalogue announce details of Budget 2027 for the Department of Culture, Communications and Sport