Paralympic boss Liam Harbison has described dismal ticket sales ahead of next month's Games as "a real setback for the movement", but insisted Team Ireland's athletes could overcome difficulties in Rio to deliver on their medal target.
Organisers last week admitted that only 300,000 of the available 2.4million tickets to the Games had been sold, while ongoing budgetary difficulties have seen consistent scaling back of promised facilities and services.
Emergency funding from state and federal governments has made sure the Games will go ahead and Paralympics Ireland chief executive Harbison said his first reaction to that news was relief that athletes will be able to compete.
"There was relief as we got some security that the Games are actually going to take place, I think they were certainly under threat," he told RTÉ Radio.
"There were fears that a large number of nations wouldn't be able to travel because travel grants weren't paid, they have been assured now although still yet unpaid.
"In some respects it is disappointing that the Games and the expectations around the Games that were built up by Rio 2016 simply aren't being delivered.
"Fundamentally, though, the athletes are preparing to put on career-best performances and that's where their focus is. Our main job is to facilitate them so that their experience of the Games and their performance is not impacted by the major cuts that are taking place in terms of services by Rio 2016.
"When Rio were awarded the Games seven years ago they were awarded the Olympic and Paralympic Games as one.
"With that they had certain obligations to provide services. Our role as a national Paralympic committee is to prepare and send the best possible team to the Games, it's the organising committee's responsibility to make sure the services are in place to make sure those Games can run seamlessly."
The shocking ticket sales have sparked fears of the Games being played out in front of empty venues across Rio, with reports that some athletes were crowdfunding to buy tickets to give to city locals, and Harbison is hoping that a late surge will improve attendances.
"On the back of an incredible Games in London, where 2.7million tickets were sold, to hear on Friday that only 300,000 were sold, it's a big setback for the movement," he said.
"I heard 96,000 tickets were sold yesterday so hopefully there will be a bit of a uplift over the coming days."
Team Ireland finished the 2012 Games 18th in the medal table with a total of 16 and while targets for Rio are conservative against that number, Harbison is hoping for another successful Games.
"We've a target of eight medals, that will be very challenging, but fundamentally our main goal is to try and stay in the top 30 on the medal table. To do that we'll probably need a minimum of four gold medals.
"We certainly have the athletes among the 46 that can deliver them if everything goes right on the day, but it's sport, so anything can happen."
