Sports Economics

Father Ted says it best

It might seem superficial to even think about sport considering the economic situation in Ireland. Comparing cuts in sports funding with welfare reductions, income tax increases and health cuts is far from comparing like with like. But yet, it's another hole chopped in our society.

Readers outside Ireland might be wondering what's taken over my head, but it's impossible to think of anything else here. Stats on the "Irish Sports Council" site show that sports only contribute " 2% of the overall value of consumer spending in the economy" which surprised me (yes, I live in a sports-bubble) but with 1.7 million people involved the impact goes far beyond money.

Now with some reports saying about 20% of overall sports funding was cut in this week's Budget, what will this mean for sports people?

And can anyone explain to me why the Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund - already topped up by €545.8m - gets another 58 million in the middle of all this?