The Irish Sports Council has announced a €25.6million funding package for 2011.
The package includes funds for 57 National Governing Bodies, 32 Local Sports Partnerships and 18 High Performance sports.
€7.8 million will be invested in high performance athletes and sports in 2011, the crucial preparatory and qualification period in advance of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
This includes €1.95 million under the International Carding Scheme and direct grants to 115 of top Irish athletes including Katie Taylor, Kenneth Egan, Derval O’Rourke, Jason Smyth and Grainne Murphy.
Mr. Kieran Mulvey, Chairman of the Irish Sports Council, announced the funding for the National Governing Bodies of Sport will be €12.1 million and for the Local Sports Partnerships will be €5.7 million.
He said: 'Investing over €25million in the range of sports this year is a vote of confidence in the Irish sports sector. The Council believes that sport plays a central role in the social and cultural life of Ireland and will play a significant part in the economic recovery.'
The Minister for Sport, Mary Hanafin said ongoing Government investment is helping todeliver a huge variety of sports around the country.
She said: 'Everyone benefits from participation in sport and the funding being allocated today helps clubs and organisations throughout the country to deliver key services to increase participation and support sportsmen and women.
'The economic, social and health value of sport is well established and is something that must continue to be recognised, even in difficult economic circumstances.
'These 89 sports organisations are doing tremendous work nurturing a love of sport in young people and helping increase participation at every level while all the time supporting employment in the sports sector.'
