Record Level of Core Funding for Sports Bodies in 2026
- Published on: 21 January 2026
- Last updated on: 21 January 2026
- Minister Patrick O’Donovan and Minister Charlie McConalogue announce record investment of over €33 million in core funding support to sporting organisations
- Highest ever level of Core grant investment in sport
- €19.5 million for National Governing Bodies
- €12.66 million for Local Sports Partnerships
- €1.2 million for other sporting bodies
- New multi-annual funding model to support improved planningMinister for Culture, Communications and Sport, Patrick O’Donovan, and the Minister of State with responsibility for Sport and Postal Policy, Charlie McConalogue, today announced a record investment of €33.36 million in core funding support to sporting organisations, through Sport Ireland, for 2026.
€19.5 million is being invested in 57 National Governing Bodies of Sport (NGBs) this year, an increase of €1.2 million on the 2025 figure.
Investment in Local Sports Partnerships (LSPs) has increased by 5.9% compared to 2025, with a total investment of €12.66 million being allocated across the 29 LSPs.
This is the highest ever level of Core investment in sport and represents a 6.5% increase on 2025 levels and an 87.4% increase on the €17.8 million investment in 2018, when the National Sports Policy was published.
2026 marks the first year of Sport Ireland’s 3-year multi-annual funding model, a transformative development that will support improved planning, workforce stability and more strategic use of resources within sports organisations.
Speaking at the funding announcement at the Sport Ireland Campus today, Minister O’Donovan said:
This investment represents a steadfast commitment by the Government to strengthening the foundations of Irish sport. By backing National Governing Bodies of Sport and Local Sports Partnerships, it recognises their central role in delivering participation, performance and community impact across the country. We are continuing to scale investment in participation programmes, particularly those supporting women and girls, reinforcing our commitment to further narrowing the gender participation gap in sport, and in time, to eliminate it completely. This increased funding provides the stability and support required to sustainably grow participation, and position Ireland as a leader in inclusive, high-quality sport for all.
Minister McConalogue said:
The work of NGBs and LSPs in advancing wider Government priorities underlines the central role sport plays in Irish society. This Core funding will strengthen investment in high-performing, volunteer-led organisations in 2026, enabling them to build capacity, enhance sustainability, and plan with confidence for the future. Crucially, it will support their continued efforts to make sport more inclusive and accessible - particularly for those facing socio-economic barriers and people with disabilities - while further expanding the reach and impact of LSPs as they empower communities, to participate in sport and physical activity.
Sport Ireland Chairperson John Foley said:
We are extremely grateful to the Department, Minister O’Donovan, Minister McConalogue, and the wider Government, for their ongoing investment in Core funding. The NGBs and LSPs are absolutely pivotal in delivering on the aims for the National Sports Policy. Here at Sport Ireland, we stand square behind them and will continue to provide them with strategic and operational leadership.
Sport Ireland CEO Dr Úna May said:
We are delighted by this generous Government investment. It’s a record level of investment and really does show just how strong the Government commitment is to developing a robust sport sector. In making investment decisions, Sport Ireland looks at the full impact of each sport - its national significance, the strength and ambition of its programmes, and the quality of its governance and operations. We place a strong emphasis on participation, membership, volunteerism and the social value sport brings to communities across the country. Above all, we are committed to ensuring a vibrant and diverse sporting landscape, so that people of all ages and backgrounds have access to a wide range of sporting opportunities.
ENDS