Sport Ireland Core Funding increase shows confidence in HSI

At the Sport Ireland Core Grant Investment announcement for 2025 for Local Sports Partnerships, National Governing Bodies and other funded bodies are, Minister for Arts, Media, Communications, Culture and Sport, Patrick O’Donovan TD, centre left, Minister of State at the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media with special responsibility for Sport and Postal Policy, Charlie McConalogue, centre right, with Sport Ireland Chairperson John Foley, far left, and Sport Ireland Chief Executive Officer Dr Una May, far right, at the National Indoor Arena on the Sport Ireland Campus, Dublin. Photo by Sam Barnes/Sportsfile

CEO welcomes commitment to industry and backs call for increased staff diversity in NGBs

Horse Sport Ireland (HSI) has secured an increase to its Core Funding Budget from Sport Ireland for 2025, from €1.07m to €1.105m, it has been announced.

In its annual announcement of funding for National Governing Bodies (NGBs), Sport Ireland increased the budget to HSI by €35,000, cementing the commitment to the national governing body for equestrian sports and outlining the confidence it has in Horse Sport Ireland.

Welcoming the extra funding, HSI Chief Executive, Denis Duggan, said: “We are delighted to receive this additional funding from Sport Ireland and welcome the announcements today from Minister for Arts, Media, Communications, Culture and Sport, Patrick O’Donovan and from Minister of State with responsibility for Sport & Postal Policy Charlie McConalogue, and thank them for their commitment to national governing bodies including Horse Sport Ireland.”

Sport Ireland, in 2025, have committed to increase financial supports to NGBs, with this increased investment providing and opportunity for them to further support the NGB sector.

From 2026 onwards, Sport Ireland will also seek to roll out a multi-annual approach to core grant investment allocations, which will help enhance planning capabilities and operational stability, while assisting HSI to develop effective structures to facilitate increased participation in equestrian sports.

Mr. Duggan added: “The increase in core funding for 2025 shows the confidence Sport Ireland and the Department of Sport has in HSI, the work the organisation continues to do with our programmes and initiatives such as the HSI Coaching Programme, Integrity & Equine Anti-doping Programme, Participation Grants and Safeguarding which form part of the investment made by Sport Ireland and the Department of Sport today for the year ahead.”

Horse Sport Ireland CEO Denis Duggan at the Sport Ireland Core Grant Investment announcement for 2025 for Local Sports Partnerships, National Governing Bodies and other funded bodies with Minister for Arts, Media, Communications, Culture and Sport, Patrick O’Donovan TD

HSI’s Sport Department supports approximately 1,000 athletes and approximately 2,000 equines every year, who participate in international equestrian events run by the FEI. HSI’s High Performance Programme is supported by a network of key staff, who perform tasks such as entries and registrations. A future announcement is expected on high performance funding in due course.

In concluding his remarks at the Sport Ireland and Department of Arts Media, Communications, Culture and Sport launch event in the National Sport Campus, Mr. Duggan continued: “Minister O’Donovan has been a very strong advocate for gender balance at board and committee level across sporting bodies, and today, he laid down a further challenge to sporting bodies to increase and include members of the ‘new-Irish’ community in our sports bodies.

“As an organisation that employs staff from nine different countries around the world, we at Horse Sport Ireland welcome the challenge laid down to the sporting bodies by the Minister. I look forward to engaging with our affiliate family and wider stakeholder groups which includes more than 50 different organisations on how equestrian sport will positively and constructively rise to this new challenge.”