2026-03-03

142. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport for an update on his efforts to support the League of Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16822/26]

143. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport for an update on the establishment of the academy system within the FAI for which funding was allocated in budget 2026. [16779/26]

159. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport his plans for Government investment into the League of Ireland; the efforts of his Department to promote the league; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16771/26]

179. Deputy Sinéad Gibney asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport the effort his Department is making to support the League of Ireland men’s and women’s leagues, and domestic football, in light of vast growth in attendance and viewership over the last period; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16800/26]

The League of Ireland is experiencing sustained growth, with Premier Division attendances up 8% in 2025 and over 1.1 million attending matches involving League of Ireland clubs across the country. At a time when domestic football is clearly on the up, will the Minister of State outline what measures he and his Department are taking to support the rise of the League of Ireland?

I propose to take Questions Nos. 142, 143, 159 and 179 together. I thank the Deputy for raising the matter. As she knows, the operation of the League of Ireland and its academies is driven by the Football Association of Ireland, which, like all governing bodies, works independently. It is like all the governing bodies that we, in the Government, want to support. I agree with the Deputy that it has been wonderful to see the growth of, and the momentum behind, the League of Ireland. It is great that every Friday night, if you cannot make it to a match, you can watch the round-up and the great product that is on offer. There is excitement and atmosphere at grounds around the country. That is continuing to grow. It is something the Government wants to support and back. I was pleased to announce a €3 million multi-annual allocation as part of the most recent budget to support the development of a modern and professional soccer academy system that will provide the structures and pathways required to support future generations of Irish players, male and female, and maximise the potential of Irish football. This is on foot of the programme for Government commitment to exploring new mechanisms for the creation of football academies. This builds on the additional funding of €1 million provided by my department to the FAI last year, which enabled it to produce a detailed report on the League of Ireland academies system. That funding also enabled the appointment by the FAI of an academies administrator to support the development of new academy programmes and to track their impact. The report benchmarked Irish football academies against international standards, based on an audit of existing academy structures and needs, and provided a basis on which to commit to multi-annual funding support. One of the few benefits and dividends we have seen from Brexit has been our young players increasingly staying in the country. That has added wonderfully to the spectacle we are seeing in the League of Ireland. Of course, while players are, by and large, staying in the country until they are 18 years of age, we want to ensure that they have the pathways to excellence and to become the strongest and highest performing they can be in their careers. That is why we are investing, through the academies, in supporting those athletes.

I agree with the Minister of State. In a few weeks, thousands of Irish supporters will cheer on the boys in green as they face the Czechs in Prague on 26 March, aiming to move closer to World Cup qualification for the first time since 2002. Moments like this remind us of our responsibility to strengthen the domestic game in order to support future national success. As the Minister of State said, Brexit has reshaped the pathway for young Irish players. More promising footballers are staying in Ireland for longer and are gaining senior experience in the League of Ireland instead of moving abroad at the age of 16. This presents a significant opportunity for us. Clubs are responding by raising coaching standards, investing in academies, upgrading facilities and developing players in competitive first-team environments. They are operating more sustainably, developing talent, securing transfer fees and reinvesting in infrastructure and youth development. If we want a stronger national team, we must strengthen the domestic system that produces it. The League of Ireland is no longer peripheral; it is absolutely central to Ireland's football future. I am in the green tonight.

I noticed that. The Deputy is ready for the matches ahead and will not have to buy anything new. We are all at one. We agree. It has been heartening and energising to see what has been happening at League of Ireland level. It feeds down to the grassroots and inspires young people. The wonderful thing about football is that people can play one-on-one or two against two. All that is needed is a couple of jumpers and a back garden or park for people to come together. It is a wonderful sport for participation. We want to see it grow and are committed to seeing people develop, whether it is Michael Noonan, Victor Ozhianvuna or Mason Melia, who I was glad to see score in the Brandywell not so long ago and do stuff with St. Pat's. That is what is happening across the country. It drives crowds coming to games and participation. It is something we want to support and see grow. We want the League of Ireland to grow to a strength we have never before seen.

I am also biased about Dublin West football clubs. We have the best in the country. I welcome the €3 million allocated in budget 2026 for League of Ireland academies. This important investment gives clubs the resources to build modern and professional academy systems and create clear pathways for the next generation of Irish players, both boys and girls. It represents a significant opportunity. More young players can now remain in the domestic system, developing and gaining experience at home. As the League of Ireland grows in profile, the conditions are in place to nurture talent in a way that we have not seen for decades. If we build on this momentum over the lifetime of the Government, we can match the pride and dedication of our supporters, including those who travel nationwide for their clubs and follow the national teams abroad, with sustained investment, planning and proper structures. By doing so, we can ensure Irish football reflects the ambition, passion and commitment that supporters already bring to the game.

I thank Deputy Currie. We want to make sure the investment we are making through academies is used to the best effect possible. The FAI is working, with the guidance of Sport Ireland, to use its experience to ensure that system is structured in the best way. It is also working with premier and first division clubs to see how we can make sure there is good regional reach in terms of academies. Another development over the next couple of months is the development of a tier three for the League of Ireland, which is a welcome development. It will deepen and add to the league. I thank the Deputy for raising this issue and for her support and advocacy on behalf of the potential that is here. We look forward to working together to build and support the great momentum and growth we have seen.