The Athletics Association of Ireland is the primary beneficiary from the Irish Sports Council’s grants for 2006, in an allocation that sees 57 National Governing Bodies (NGB) receive funding.
There has been an overall increase in the grants of 10 per cent and the AAI has been promised €750,000 of the €7.63 million total.
The grants were announced today at a Dublin reception by Minister for Sport John O’Donoghue.
The AAI received less than €500,000 last year and owes the massive jump in funding to restructuring carried out within the organisation during the year.
Other bodies to benefit significantly were Basketball Ireland, Swim Ireland and Tennis Ireland.
Swim Basketball Ireland received €534,032, an incease of over €70,000 on last year, while Tennis Ireland was awarded €428,718, up over €40,000 from 2005.
Basketball Ireland will benefit to the tune of €534,032, though this represents a marginal drop on last year’s grant.
The Irish Wheelchair Association lost out by almost €42,000 when receiving a total of €258,635.
Speaking at the reception Mr O’Donoghue said: "The level of sustained investment in the governing bodies reflects their central place in Irish sport. In my view strong governing bodies are essential to the long-term development of Irish sport, which continues to benefit from this Government’s unprecedented levels of investment.
"€154 million will be invested in sport in 2006, continuing the radical transformation of the country’s sports infrastructure."
Grants wil cover the administration of the sport, the employment of professional staff and coaching development.
Chairman of the Irish Sports Council, Ossie Kilkenny, said today that the funding was crucial to the continued growth of sporting bodies in an increasingly professional era.
"The significant levels of funding invested and the other services provided by the Council since 1999 are major factors in the evident increase in professionalism and quality of services provided by the governing bodies of sport."
The entire budget to be granted in 2006 is €40.9m, a 300 per cent increase on its first full year in operation. Further grants will be announced in February when elite individuals will benefit.
Today’s grants do not include funding to the Football Association of Ireland, the Gaelic Athletic Association or the Irish Rugby Football Union.
ISC Grant Allocations for 2005 and 2006 (2006 in bold)
Angling Council €30,000 €30,000
Athletic Assoc of Ireland €485,547 €750,000
Badminton Union of Ireland €272,628 €293,021
Basketball Ireland €534,230 €534,032
Baton Twirling Sport Assoc €4,500 €4,500
Bol Chumann na hEireann €12,500 €19,823
Bowling League of Ireland €29,913 €29,961
Cerebal Palsy Sport Ireland €40,057 €65,198
Comhairle Liathroid Laimhe €104,707 €126,366
Cumann Camogaiochta €105,065 €109,100
Cumann Peil Gael na mBan €185,173 €198,323
Cycling Ireland €226,350 €240,400
Equestrian Federation of Ireland €325,527 €338,105
Golfing Union of Ireland €107,500 Allocation still outstanding
Horseshoe Pitchers Assoc €3,413 €3,500
Irish Amateur Archery Assoc €16,300 €20,350
Irish Amateur Boxing Assoc €201,000 €201,658
Irish Amateur Fencing Federation €26,000 €29,350
Irish Amateur Rowing Union €144,151 €142,886
Irish Amateur Weightlifting Assoc €12,525 €13,500
Irish Amateur Wrestling Assoc €18,150 €17,360
Irish American Football Assoc €2,900 €5,534
Irish Blindsports €39,274 €41,497
Irish Canoe Union €198,050 €202,057
Irish Clay Pigeon Shooting Allocation still outstanding
Irish Cricket Union €151,229 €217,878
Irish Deaf Sports Assoc €25,000 €50,050
Irish Gymnastics Ltd €109,335 €124,250
Irish Hockey Assoc €169,135 €189,559
Irish Judo Assoc €88,480 €82,210
Irish Ladies Golf Union €44,833 €44,020
Irish Martial Arts Commission €14,950 €25,000
Irish Olympic Handball Assoc €56,191 €44,422
Irish Orienteering Assoc €35,965 €46,183
Irish Sailing Assoc €248,956 €262,839
Irish Squash Federation €115,892 €180,222
Irish Surfing Assoc €48,725 €59,350
Irish Table Tennis Assoc €77,426 €78,500
Irish Tae Kwon Do Union €14,000 €14,500
Irish Ten Pin Bowling Assoc €19,165 €21,051
Irish Tug-of-War Assoc €29,975 €27,100
Irish Underwater Council €49,350 €54,500
Irish Waterski Federation €3,500 €6,300
Irish Wheelchair Assoc €299,509 €258,635
Motor Cycle Union of Ireland €77,131 €73,000
Motor Sport Ireland €137,999 €148,000
Mountaineering Council of Ireland €90,000 €104,250
National Community Games €239,000 €250,000
Shooting Sports Assoc of Ireland €25,048 €30,547
ONAKI €13,020 €13,500
Pitch & Putt Union of Ireland €71,575 €76,533
Racquetball Assoc of Ireland €15,583 €16,250
ROI Snooker & Billiards Assoc €56,975 €96,241
Special Olympics Ireland €499,257 €500,473
Speleological Union of Ireland €19,000 €21,250
Swim Ireland €390,750 €463,500
Tennis Ireland €387,665 €428,718
Triathlon Ireland €20,000 €21,600
Volleyball Assoc of Ireland €164,325 €178,026
Overall Total €,934,404 €,624,978