Sport Grant Aid:The Irish Sports Council and the Olympic Council of Ireland have been asked to meet the Minister for Sport, Séamus Brennan, later this week to ensure the smoothest possible run-up to the Beijing Olympics. This follows yesterday's announcement of 2.213 million in elite athlete grant aid for 2008, bringing to 30 million the total investment in Olympic preparations over the past four years.
Brennan wants to ensure this latest investment is maximised, and also that the Sports Council and Olympic Council continue to work in harmony. The Olympic Council were recently critical of their lack of input into this athlete funding, which threatened the sort of bickering that has plagued Irish Olympic participation in the past.
"I've been reading different comments from the Sports Council and the Olympic Council," said Brennan.
"I've asked them in to assure me that they're doing the best they can, that their structures are okay, and that there are no disagreements.
"I'm coming at this positively, and seeking assurances that there will not be any disagreements. I want to sit them around the same table, and get them to assure the Government, and the taxpayer, that we're looking at a team effort."
John Treacy, chief executive of the Sports Council, played down the significance of the meeting, though he has been critical of recent remarks on the funding structures by the Olympic Council president, Pat Hickey. "The Government want to make sure we keep our eyes firmly on the road, and work together to help our athletes as best we can," said Treacy.
Brennan emphasised potential differences need to be sorted out now: "From what they're telling me, they're all wearing the green jersey and doing their job. But I just want to be assured of that. I would hate for this to pass and I not seeking those assurances that all organisations will play their full part."
When asked to describe his relationship with the OCI, Treacy paused: "Let's put it this way. Operationally . . . we work extremely well. We have supported them over the last four years very extensively."
The Sports Council has, however, yet to release the Olympic Council funding for 2008.
"It is usually February or March," added Treacy, "and we will be announcing that shortly. There's no particular reason for the delay. The Olympic Council know what they're getting. There are just some pieces we haven't announced yet."
The 2.213 million announced yesterday will go directly to 255 athletes in the 15 focus Olympic sports. A further 5.935 million will go to the high-performance plans of those sports, with another 935,000 going to specific Olympic preparations of the new Irish Institute for Sport.
This brings the total investment in Olympic sports since Athens four years ago to 30.06 million, although at this point Ireland boasts few, if any, medal chances going to Beijing. The Irish Olympic team is also likely to be the smallest since Barcelona in 1992, with just 13 athletes, boxer Paddy Barnes, swimmer Andrew Bree and 11 yet-to-be-selected competitors in other sports so far qualified.
Still, Treacy maintained it was a sound investment: "I think what you have to do is look at the quality that's going, which I think is getter better and better. We support the Olympic Council's decision only to send A-standard athletes, but that does drop the numbers substantially on other years.
"We also know qualification is getting more competitive, particularly say in boxing, with the emergence of other European countries. And in swimming we used to send B athletes before, but not anymore. And that makes it tighter. And we still expect the lightweight fours will qualify in rowing. We also have two shooters as well who hopefully will make it, and they're both world class."
The Olympics, however, are not all about medals, and Treacy still predicted the level of success outlined in the Athens Review, which was published in March of 2005.
"At the start of this Olympic cycle, we set our sights on achieving six finalists in these Olympics. We're still standing by that.
"Everyone knows that getting an Olympic medal is incredibly difficult. You need luck on your side as well. But if you look back on the history of Irish sport and how many Olympic medals we have won - I won't say legitimate - but they are far and few between."
Nor was Brennan getting hung up on the medal prospects: "All we can do is put in the money and build the systems. But these structures are all only coming into their own just now. It would be unrealistic to be putting our names on medals. But the Irish have won medals before, and I wouldn't put it past the passion and the pride of the Irish to go out there and do something on the medal front. And nobody should give up on it."
Among the main beneficiaries yesterday were the hurdler Derval O'Rourke, boxers Katie Taylor and Kenneth Egan, the four lightweight rowers, and Paralympians John McCarthy, Jason Smyth and Michael McKillop - all receiving the maximum "contracted" amount of between € and €40,000.
The majority of elite athletes get "international" funding, worth €12,000, with development and junior squads receiving combined amounts. Athletics received the highest overall total: €416,000, the second-highest amount, 315,000, going to boxing and the third-highest, 263,900, going to the Paralympians.
A few applications are still being processed, including that for the runner Alistair Cragg.
Responsibility for the grants and carding scheme is now handed over to the Institute of Sport, who have already earmarked several changes to the system, among them the targeting of junior athletes for their potential rather than for actual achievement.
Olympic Goldrush: Where the money goes
Athletics
Derval O'Rourke Category: Contracted 40,000
Róisín McGettigan World Class 20,000
Robert Heffernan World Class 20,000
Eileen O'Keeffe World Class 20,000
Fionnnuala Britton World Class 20,000
David Gillick World Class 20,000
Paul Hession World Class 20,000
Joanne Cuddihy World Class 20,000
Colin Griffin International 12,000
Jamie Costin International 12,000
Olive Loughnane International 12,000
Martin Fagan International 12,000
David Campbell International 12,000
Mary Cullen International 12,000
Deirdre Ryan International 12,000
Liam Reale International 12,000
Developmental Squad (13) (max 5,000 each) 65,000
Junior Squad (25) (max 3,000 each) 75,000
Total €416,000
Badminton Ireland
Chloe Magee Category: International €12,000
Scott Evans International 12,000
Junior Squad (1) (max 3,000) 3,000
Tony Stephenson Junior Criteria
Total €27,000
Cerebral Palsy Sport Ireland
Gabriel Shelly Category: World Class €20,000
Tom Leahy International 12,000
Johnny Cronin International 12,000
Roberta Connolly International 12,000
Padraic Moran International 12,000
Soccer Team International 30,000
Total €98,000
Cycling Ireland
Dermot Nally Category: International 12,000
Paul Healion International 12,000
Mark Cassidy International 12,000
Philip Deignan International 12,000
Robin Seymour International 12,000
Nicolas Roche International 12,000
David McCann International 12,000
Brian Kenneally International 12,000
David O'Loughlin International 12,000
Páidí O'Brien International 6,000
Enda Smyth International Disability 12,000
Cathal Miller International Disability 12,000
Michael Delaney International Disability 12,000
David Peelo Pilot Rider 12,000
Catherine Walsh International Disability 6,000
Joanna Hickey Pilot Rider 6,000
Developmental Squad (7) (max 5,000 each) 35,000
Junior Squad (2) (max 3,000 each) 6,000
Total €215,000
Irish Amateur Boxing Association
Katie Taylor Contracted €40,000
Kenneth Egan Contracted 40,000
Patrick Barnes World Class 20,000
Darren O'Neill World Class 20,000
Roy Sheahan World Class 20,000
Darren Sutherland World Class 20,000
Ryan Lindberg International 12,000
Eric Donovan International 12,000
John Joe Joyce International 12,000
David Oliver Joyce International 12,000
Developmental Squad (7) (max 5,000 each) 35,000
Junior Squad (24) (max 3,000 each) 72,000
Total €315,000
Irish Amateur Fencing Federation
Siobhán Byrne Category: International €12,000
Developmental Squad (1) (max 5,000) 5,000
Total €17,000
Irish Amat Rowing Union
Gearóid Towey Category: Contracted €30,000
Paul Griffin Contracted 30,000
Eugene Coakley Contracted 30,000
Richard Archibald Contracted 30,000
Seán Jacob International 12,000
Seán O'Neill International 12,000
Seán Casey International 12,000
Cormac Folan International 12,000
Alan Martin International 12,000
Cathal Moynihan International 12,000
Tim Harnedy International 12,000
Sinead Jennings International 12,000
Orlagh Duddy International 12,000
Niamh Ní Cheilleachair International 12,000
Total €240,000
Irish Canoe Union
Eoin Rheinisch Category: World Class €20,000
Brendan Maloney International 12,000
Neil Fleming International 12,000
Neil Caffrey International 6,000
Helen Barnes International 5,000
Developmental Squad (6) (max 5,000 each) 30,000
Junior Squad (3) (max 3,000 each) 9,000
Total €94,000
Irish Clay Pigeon Shooting Association
Philip Murphy World Class €20,00
Derek Burnett World Class 20,000
Colin Tanner International 12,000
Total €52,000
Irish Hockey Association
Women's Senior Team Category: International €30,000
Men's U18 Team Developmental €10,000
Women's U18 Team Developmental €10,000
Total €50,000
Irish Sailing Association
Maurice O'Connell Category: World Class €20,000
Ben Cooke World Class 20,000
Peter O'Leary International 12,000
Ciara Peelo International 12,000
Developmental Squad (12)(max 5,000 each) 60,000
Junior Squad (15) (max 3,000 each) 45,000
Total €169,000
Irish Table Tennis Association
Junior Squad (1) (max 3,000) €3,000
Total €3,000
Irish Taekwondo Union
Developmental Squad (1) 5,000
Junior Squad (2) €6,000
Total €11,000
Irish Wheelchair Association
Kathleen Reynolds (Table Tennis)International €12,000
Seán Heary (Archery) International €12,000
Eimear Breathnach (Table Tennis) International €12,000
Total €36,000
Irish Judo Association
Developmental Squad (1) (max 5,000) €5,000
Total €5,000
Paralympic Athletics Ireland
John McCarthy Contracted €40,000
Jason Smyth Contracted €40,000
Michael McKillop Contracted €31,900
Orla Barry World Class €20,000
Garrett Culliton World Class €20,000
Lisa Callaghan World Class €20,000
Patrice Dockery International €12,000
Eoin Cleare International €12,000
Derek Malone International €12,000
Rosemary Tallon International €12,000
Garrett Jameson International €12,000
Catherine Wayland International €12,000
Developmental Squad (1) (max 5,000) €5,000
Junior Squad (5) (max 3,000 each) €15,000
Total €263,900
Paralympic Swimming Ireland
Stephen Campbell International €12,000
Darragh McDonald International €6,000
Ellen Keane International €6,000
Jonathan Cummings International €12,000
Hannah Clarke International €12,000
Developmental Squad (1) (max 5,000) €5,000
Junior Squad (2) (max 3,000 each) €6,000
Total €59,000
Swim Ireland
Andrew Bree Category: International €12,000
Melanie Nocher International €12,000
Barry Murphy International €12,000
Developmental Squad (6) (max 5,000 each) €30,000
Junior Squad (14) (max 3,000 each) €42,000
Total €108,000
Tennis Ireland
Junior Squad (3) €9,000
Total €9,000
Triathlon Ireland
Gavin Noble International €12,000
Emma Davis International €6,000
Developmental Squad (1) (max 5,000) €5,000
Junior Squad (1)€3,000
Total €26,000
