RTÉ to broadcast 30 hours of Paralympic Games live

Paralympics Ireland launched a brand new app to mark the 100 days to go milestone until the start of the Paralympic Games in Rio on the same day that the governing body announced that RTÉ will provide 30 hours of live coverage over the course of the 10-day event in September.

The app – it is available from the Google Play and Apple stores – will contain live coverage of how Irish athletes fare as well as interviews, blogs and various other features.

RTÉ’s broadcast commitment, sponsored by Allianz Ireland, is a seven-fold increase on the coverage they provided during the 2012 Games in London.

The cost of funding Ireland’s participation in the Paralympics is estimated at €742,000 with Sports Ireland providing funding of €290,000. Paralympics Ireland set a goal of raising €564,000 through fundraising and sponsorship and is about 58 per cent of the way to their target at this point.

Already qualified

Ireland will compete in 10 sports in Rio with six athletes, one canoeist, six cyclists, 14 soccer players, three sailors, four swimmers, two shooters, and one table tennis player having already qualified. That figure may rise by a further four athletes and two triathletes.

The team will be announced on July 5th. Paralympics Ireland estimates that the team travelling to Rio will number about 44; the target is eight medals and a finishing position in the top 30 countries on the medals table. Dave Malone, Paralympics Ireland performance director, said: "It's a challenging target but a realistic one."

The team won 16 medals in London 2012 but a number of parameters have changed in relation to the qualification and eligibility. Chef  de Mission Denis Toomey spoke about a number of challenges that the athletes face outside of performance-related issues, one of which alighted on the Zika virus concerns.

“While we know that there are many challenges ahead with these Games, it is hoped that having the Olympic Games beforehand will see any issues that arise dealt with efficiently and it is hoped that services available for the Olympics will not be reduced for the Paralympics.

"Our chief medical officer Dr Joe Conway is keeping the staff and athletes informed regularly on any updates on the Zika virus. He is in regular contact with his colleagues nationally and internationally . .."

The Ireland team for the IPC European Championships will be announced on Thursday. The Games take place from June 10-16th in Grosseto, Italy.