Sports organisations will see their funding cut if they don’t have at least 40% of their board members women by next year.
The threat to the pockets of sports bodies unless they play ball has come directly from Sports Minister Jack Chambers.
He said: “If they don’t hit the targets by the end of 2023, there will be financial consequences.”
Mr Chambers is taking action in the wake of a string of great sporting successes for Irish sportswomen.
They include Kelli Harrington and Katie Taylor beating the world’s best in the boxing ring and Rachael Blackmore taking away the biggest prizes in racing over the past few years.
The latest success of the England women’s soccer team in capturing the Euros has also inspired many young Irish girls to play soccer.
Minister Chambers believes that having Irishwomen at the top of sports administration is key to driving participation of girls and women in sport.
And he hopes reform of the sporting organisations will capitalise on the recent popularity and success of women in sport.
The government will back this up by injecting €25million into women’s and girls sport next year, but if sporting bodies don’t meet the 40% gender quotas, access to the funding will be restricted for them.
Mr Chambers said: “We’ve seen huge progress over the past number of years with incredible success, the attendance at the ladies (hurling) final, the spectators, the viewing figures, obviously the Euros over in the UK brough phenomenal levels of interest.
“We’ve seen massive growth in participation at grassroots for girls and really strengthening that path right through to the high performance level is something we are anxious to build on.
“So we have a ringfenced fund for women in sport.
“One thing I was anxious to do as Minister for Sport was to ensure that participation was at the core of how we invested in capital infrastructure.”
Mr Chambers was speaking to RTE’s Morning Ireland, where he added: “what we’re announcing today is a €25million fund for governing sporting bodies and a key part of that and what we’re announcing today is that we expect sporting organisations to have 40% female participation on their boards.”
He also said: “when it comes to board level, we’re ensuring that 40%
participation at board level by the end of 2023, and we’re sending that message out today as a clear objective, that government expects sporting organisations to move.”
He warned that if the organisations don’t, their access to the €25million fund could be blocked.
“If they don’t hit the targets by the end of 2023, there will be financial consequences.”
Read next:
Multiple emergency services units rush to scene after SuperValu truck crashes
Man killed in Drumcondra shooting may have lain there for days as Garda probe continues
Pilot arrested during €8.4m cocaine seizure was wearing bling €5k watch
Funeral of tragic Sligo accident victim to take place on Monday as 'little angel' to be laid to rest
Calls for eviction ban as number of Irish renters forced out of homes doubles in a year
Sign up for the Irish Mirror newsletters to get all the latest news straight to your inbox
