Meeting with Department of Finance and An Tánaiste’s policy team highlights shared commitment to improving the system for athletes
The Olympic Federation of Ireland Athletes’ Commission was delighted to begin discussions today with senior officials from the Department of Finance and members of An Tánaiste’s policy team, as part of ongoing efforts to explore how Ireland’s tax system can better recognise and support the realities of high‑performance athletes.
The meeting, attended by Senator Evanne Ní Chuilinn and Senior Policy Advisors to An Tánaiste, marked an important first step in examining targeted measures that could ease the significant financial pressures faced by athletes pursuing excellence on the world stage.
High‑performance athletes commit extraordinary time, energy, and personal resources to their sport. For most Olympians, there is no financial gain attached to representing Ireland. Instead, the cost of training, travel, relocation, coaching, and competition is often shouldered by athletes themselves, their families, and their wider support networks. While carding support is an essential foundation, the current levels – ranging from €18,000 to €40,000 and fully taxable – do not come close to covering the true cost of operating at an elite level.
Athletes frequently relocate to centres of excellence, travel extensively for training camps and qualification events, and rely on specialist coaching and performance services. These expenses accumulate quickly, and the current tax system does not adequately reflect the scale of the commitment required to compete internationally.
The Athletes’ Commission presented proposals focused on updating existing tax measures rather than creating new ones, including aligning carding payments with the Artists’ Exemption model and modernising the Sportspersons Tax Relief to reflect the realities of Olympic sport today.
Billy Dardis, Vice-Chair of the Athletes’ Commission, welcomed the engagement,
“Today’s meeting was a really positive start. Our athletes give so much of themselves in pursuit of representing Ireland, and the system must evolve to recognise that commitment. We’re grateful to the Department of Finance and to An Tánaiste’s team for their openness and engagement, and we look forward to continuing this work in partnership with Sport Ireland and the Department of Sport.”
Senator Evanne Ní Chuilinn, who has been a strong advocate for athlete welfare, added,
“Our athletes move from the back pages to the front pages of the newspapers when they win, but they toil every day in the pursuit of excellence. They are rightly celebrated on the good days, and we are happy to put our athletes on podiums and pedestals in four‑year cycles. But we cannot trade on the passion of our athletes. They must be supported in a substantive way as they work towards major championships and Olympic or Paralympic qualification. That means increased funding bands and relevant tax rebates – not unlike the Artists’ Exemption.”
The Athletes’ Commission will now begin the next phase of engagement with the Department of Sport, working collaboratively with Sport Ireland to refine proposals and ensure that any future measures are aligned across the system.