Special Olympics Ireland has called on the Government to set aside €3.3 million a year for the next five years to help people train and compete in the event.
In its Budget 2007 submission, Special Olympics Ireland (SOI) said money would ensure it could continue to provide a year-round sports training and competition programme for people with a learning disability.
There are over 11,000 athletes taking part in the programme, which is supported by 18,000 volunteers all over the country.
An SOI spokeswoman said: "While this Government has been very supportive of Special Olympics since coming into office, Special Olympics Ireland believes that the contribution the organisation is making in both the enactment and support of Government policies across a variety of areas including sport, health, education, social inclusion and the promotion of volunteering represents a unique opportunity for the Government to further support our current and planned work."
SOI receives €800,000 in Government funding, which was around 13.8 per cent of overall income in 2005.
A spokeswoman for the group said other comparable national governing bodies of sport receive around 60 per cent of their income from the Government.
The body said it has been dependent on the Special Olympics Trust funds, which provide 26 per cent of funding. However, the trust will cease from the end of 2007 when all the funds are distributed.