merrion street

Yesterday, following the huge success of our women’s hockey team in the World Cup, I made an additional €1.5m available to NGBs preparing for World Championship finals and the Tokyo Olympics.

We are aware that there is an urgent need for additional funding for those preparations, particularly in Sports where our medal hopes are high and the final preparations are crucial and costly. Sport Ireland are aware that certain sports, including hockey, are in need of additional funding.  Sport Ireland has been asked to expedite its process to allocate the additional 2018 funding of €1.5m as soon as possible. We expect the funding will be used for direct athlete support, competition support, Tokyo camps and preparations, High Performance programmes support and equipment. 

Minister Griffin and I will announce the details of the distribution of the €1.5m as soon as possible, possibly as early as next Monday, once the Board of Sport Ireland have considered and approved the allocations.