Sport Ireland have announced a new maternity policy that will guarantee funding to pregnant athletes for 12 months.
The move has been welcomed by former race walker Olive Loughnane, who also sits on the Sport Ireland board.
"As one of many athletes whose best performances followed the birth of my daughter, I'm really excited the see the introduction of this policy.
"It is really positive that female sportspeople will be able to make a life choice that is right for them, safe in the knowledge that they will be supported by their [National Governing Body] and Sport Ireland," said Loughnane.
Under the scheme, an athlete will continue to receive carding as normal up until the birth of her child and is guaranteed funding for six consecutive months following the birth.
The policy follows a period of consultation with stakeholders across a range of sports to advance the provision of support to high performance athletes.
Earlier this year Nike received huge criticism when it was revealed that they had been freezing the sponsorship payments of several athletes after they became pregnant.
Six-time Olympic gold medalist Allyson Felix said she felt pressured to return to the track quickly.
In the wake of the revelations, the sportswear giant also said it would waive pay reductions for 12 months.
Speaking of the announcement, Chief Executive of Sport Ireland, John Treacy said, "The maternity policy demonstrates our commitment to developing a supportive performance system for all athletes, including female athletes who choose to have a child during their athletic career.
"The athlete is at the heart of everything we do and this policy puts in place a structure of collaboration and communication between the athlete, the NGB and Sport Ireland and will give our athletes peace of mind and support in their decision to start a family and continue to compete".
