ABSTRACT
Institutes of sport exist in various guises all around the world. Some have a long and storied history, others are relative upstarts. The concept of an Institute of Sport in Ireland was first mooted following the 2000 Sydney Olympics and it was established as an entity in 2006. Leadership roles began to be filled in the following year with an ambitious agenda, proposed facilities on the nascent National Sports Campus and a substantial and rising budget to implement programmes. The economic crash of 2008 severely impacted these plans (and all enterprises funded by the Irish state). Consequently, the development path of the Institute was adjusted to respond to the new reality. Throughout the recession Sport Ireland continued to invest in the Institute, despite a significant reduction it its own budget, and the Institute leadership team focused on using the available resources efficiently and building partnerships to help deliver its mission. In 2018, the Sport Ireland Institute (SII) has a team of around 30 staff (mix of full- and part-time) based in its purpose-built facilities on the bustling Sport Ireland National Sports Campus and is the primary agency for the delivery of support services to Irish Olympic and Paralympic sports.
