DONEGAL Minister of State, Charlie McConalogue, has announced that €5.16 million in Dormant Accounts Funding is to be awarded to National Governing Bodies (NGBs) of sport.
The funding will support a wide array of exceptional projects across the country.
Commenting on the significant investment, the Minister of State for Sport and Postal Policy said: “While sport is a powerful driver of social inclusion, there remains important work to do to ensure people facing socio-economic barriers or living with disabilities are fully supported.
“As we plan for 2026, continued support for the vital work of our National Governing Bodies of Sport is imperative – particularly their efforts to make sports more inclusive and accessible for disadvantaged communities and people with a disability.”
The areas of focus for Dormant Account Funding 2025 include disability supports, NGB equality, diversity and inclusion, and volunteer supports.
There is a focus on disability sports funding under three schemes – Disability Capital Support, Disability Programmes, and Disability Training & Education Fund – to a total of €2 million.
These schemes have been put in place to initiate, advance or accelerate local disability initiatives to support the Sport Ireland Policy on Participation in Sport for People with Disabilities, National Sports Policy and National Physical Activity Plan.
Sport Ireland will invest €1.5 million in the National Governing Body (NGB) Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Fund.
This fund will support NGBs in delivering projects that address barriers to participation for individuals from diverse communities, regardless of socio-economic background, gender, disability, sexual orientation, and ethnicity.
Recognising the invaluable contributions of volunteers in Irish sport, funding is allocated to provide volunteer supports aligned with the key actions of the Volunteering in Sport Policy.
Funding will be allocated to projects that empower volunteers, including youth leadership training, coaching and development programmes and targeted training for volunteers who are from or who work in disadvantaged areas and/or with people with disabilities.
Other areas of focus include Community Sports and Physical Activity hubs which provide local, accessible opportunities for physical activity in disadvantaged areas and Her Moves, which supports the development of initiatives designed to reduce dropout rates in sport and physical activity among adolescent girls.
Funding will also be provided to Get Ireland Active, an online public website and stakeholder hub providing comprehensive information on all sport and recreation facilities across Ireland. It aims to increase physical activity levels and enhance the planning, funding, and management of sport and recreation amenities nationwide.
“This investment builds on previous government support, which has contributed to adult sports participation reaching a record 49 per cent,” Minister McConalogue said.
“The government’s objective is to continue to reduce equalities and enable people of all backgrounds to lead active and healthy lives and reach their full potential.”
