Increased betting levy for sports funding is backed by Minister

Minister for Sport Catherine Martin said she would support an increase in the betting levy that could in turn be used to increase funding for sport.

However, Ms Martin told the Dáil on Wednesday that a rise in the levy would be a matter for the Minister for Finance.

The Minister was speaking as Labour TD Aodhán Ó Ríordáin put forward a motion calling for investment in domestic football, including increasing the betting levy by 3 per cent in Budget 2024 to fund football facilities.

Former Irish internationals Niall Quinn, Paddy Mulligan and Turlough O’Connor were present in the public gallery for the debate.

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Ms Martin said it was understood that money raised from the betting levy goes into the “general exchequer funds” rather than being ringfenced for particular purposes.

“But I would of course support any measures such as an increase in the betting levy, which could in turn feed to increase funding for sport more generally,” she said.

Mr Ó Ríordáin said the time for photo opportunities was over, adding “it’s time for cold hard cash”. The Dublin Bay North TD said football was a game traditionally despised by “official Ireland, but loved by Irish people” and was characterised by underinvestment and poor administration.

“The reasons for its shortcomings have always been rooted in class,” he said.

Mr Ó Ríordáin added that Irish football was at a “historic moment” with the League of Ireland experiencing sell-out crowds, the women’s league turning semi-professional and the women’s national team taking part in the World Cup in Australia from next week.

The Labour TD said the FAI’s recent vision and investment strategy, which seeks €863 million over 15 years, had to be supported and that it spelled out a lack of basic facilities for young players, especially girls.

The FAI wants Government to provide 60 per cent of the total (€517 million), with another 20 per cent forecast to be covered by local authorities and the association contributing the final 20 per cent.

Fine Gael TD Frank Feighan said soccer “needs to get their act together” and had to be “like the GAA”.

“The one thing that governments want and what Ministers want is good governance and data … if you have that, there is loads of money out there,” he said.

Minister of State at the Department of Sport Thomas Byrne said sports’ national governing bodies had been told there would be “significant funding cuts” if they did not achieve 40 per cent gender balance on their boards.

Mr Byrne said the FAI and other sports were “not there yet” but were making progress and an update on the situation would be published soon.

Sinn Féin TD Chis Andrews said the sports capital grant programme had to be reformed and was “weighed against working-class community clubs and it benefits more affluent clubs”.

“Clubs need large savings to pay for projects up front before they can draw down the grant. As a result, some clubs have to take out loans to be able to draw down the grant,” he said. “Others simply may not ever be able to draw down the particular grant as they don’t have the savings up front.

“Equally, a large number of football clubs and other sports clubs generally don’t have their own grounds so can’t apply for a sports grant. Seventy-three per cent of Dublin’s football clubs don’t have their own facilities.”