The Irish Sports Council (ISC), which is the Irish Government agency tasked with funding National Governing Bodies of sport in Ireland, has confirmed that the Irish American Football Association’s NGB Grant allocation funding will be kept at current levels for at least another year. This is very good news for the IAFA considering that, due to the recent financial crisis and the terms of the IMF/EU deal, the Irish Government has had to make significant cuts in public expenditure for 2011. These cuts include a 12% reduction in the budget of the Dept. of Tourism, Sport & Culture – which is the ISC’s parent Department, and consequential reductions in the total funding available to all sports organisations in Ireland.

A spokesman for the IAFA Board said today that “the IAFA is pleased that the Irish Government, through the Irish Sports Council, is committed to funding the continued development of American football in Ireland. It is a tribute to the hard work of our volunteers and members that the Government has chosen to maintain our funding levels in such difficult financial times”.

ISC NGB Grant aid is targeted at development programmes aimed at increasing participation in the sport. These programmes include such as coaches education, schools flag football and the certification of officials.