#OLYMPIC – Two out of three of Ireland's Olympic sailing teams cashed in on their performances at yesterday's pre-Olympic spend by the Irish Sports Council. Sailing picked up €120k to assist in preparations for Weymouth this July.
Both Annalise Murphy in the Laser Radial and Peter O'Leary and David Burrows in the Star took €40k each under their Sports Council titles as 'podium athletes'.
The sailors were among 22 to receive the top award including canoeist Eoin Rheinish and swimmer Grainne Murphy.
Annalise Murphy - a personal best at the ISAF worlds has given her 'podium athlete' status and a €40k grant
This total funding package of investment is on a par with 2011which had a final year total of €10.3 million. It means €40 million will be invested by the Council over the four year cycle of 2009 to 2012. In the three years of this cycle to date 102 medals have been won at international championship level in supported programmes. This compares with 70 medals won in the four year cycle to 2008 on the basis of an investment of €40.5 million. In 2011 it was significant that 58 of the 59 medals won were by Irish athletes based at home in domestic programmes.
Mr. Michael Ring TD, Minister for Tourism & Sport made the announcement in Dublin today (February 14); "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 Mr Kieran Mulvey commented; "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".
In 2012 €6.68 million will be invested in Performance Plans; the equivalent figure in 2011 was €6.86 million. The Institute of Sport will be providing significant support services to all of the sports from its base at the National Sports Campus at Abbotstown.
The 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 other sports services and administration costs.
It brings to more than €1.5 million the total amount of support provided to the OCI in the 4-year London cycle. There is an operational agreement in place between the Irish Sports Council and the OCI which has ensured cooperation between the agencies in the build up to the Games. Of particular note is the London Technical Group which coordinates all athlete service support leading into and at the Games. All relevant agencies, North and South, are represented on that Group.
John Treacy, Chief Executive of the Irish Sports Council, speaking at the event, said "2010 and 2011 have been very successful years for Irish sport. We hope 2012 will be as successful. However we know how difficult it is to win any medal at an Olympic or Paralympic Games and a repeat of the success of Beijing would be a reasonable target."
High performance sport is planned and implemented on an all island basis. Sport NI and SINI (Sports Institute Northern Ireland) are fully part of the planning and operational elements of the system. Sport NI is a funding partner and provides resources in addition to those announced today.
The International Carding Scheme will support athletes, teams and junior & developmental squads in 23 sports. This year it includes 118 senior level athletes including 27 at "podium" level and 19 at "world class". The Performance Directors, who are the key individuals within the system, ensure that the Carding Scheme and Performance Plans are complementary and that elite athletes are supported in the financial and non-financial aspects of their programmes.
In March the details will be announced of the Council's support for key high performance events to be hosted in Ireland in 2012 such as the FIH Men's Olympic Qualifier, the ISAF World Youths and the Men's European Golf Championships.
"Podium" Athletes 2012
• Olive Loughnane Athletics Ireland
• Derval O'Rourke Athletics Ireland
• Robert Heffernan Athletics Ireland
• David Gillick Athletics Ireland
• Catherine Walsh Cycling Ireland
• Mark Rohan Cycling Ireland
• Colin Lynch Cycling Ireland
• Daniel Martin Cycling Ireland
• Joe Ward Irish Amateur Boxing Association
• Darren O'Neill Irish Amateur Boxing Association
• Ray Moylette Irish Amateur Boxing Association
• Katie Taylor Irish Amateur Boxing Association
• Paddy Barnes Irish Amateur Boxing Association
• John Joe Nevin Irish Amateur Boxing Association
• John Joe Joyce Irish Amateur Boxing Association
• Eric Donovan Irish Amateur Boxing Association
• Kenneth Egan Irish Amateur Boxing Association
• Tyrone McCullagh Irish Amateur Boxing Association
• Eoin Rheinisch Irish Canoe Union
• Derek Burnett Irish Clay Pigeon Shooting Association
• Peter O'Leary Irish Sailing Association
• David Burrows Irish Sailing Association
• Annalise Murphy Irish Sailing Association
• Catherine O'Neill Paralympic Athletics Ireland
• Michael McKillop Paralympic Athletics Ireland
• Jason Smyth Paralympic Athletics Ireland
• Grainne Murphy Swim Ireland
