Ireland's three biggest sporting bodies have landed a further €57 million in Covid-related government funding.
The GAA (€20 million), IRFU (€19 million) and FAI (€18 million) make up the lion’s share of a total €73.6 million package for all sports.
An additional €5.3 million has been made available for sporting equipment.
Reduced crowds over the past two years has led to plummeting gate receipts with the income of most sporting bodies collapsing during the pandemic.
The €20 million given to the GAA brings the total state funding to date received by the Association to €51 million.
GAA financial results for 2021 are not available yet, but they are expected to again show a major drop in income compared to pre-Covid times.
In 2019 the GAA reported a record €74 million income, but in 2020 this plummeted by €42.5 million to €31.5 million, with the GAA reporting an overall deficit of €31 million.
Gate receipts collapsed from just over €36 million in 2019, to €3.675 million in 2020, leaving a huge black hole in GAA finances.
Just over 40,000 fans were allowed at both All-Ireland finals this year, compared to 2020 when they were played behind closed doors, and with a general increase across the board in Championship attendances income will be up on last year.
Minister of State for Sport and Gaeltacht Affairs Jack Chambers TD told the Today programme on RTÉ Radio: "There has been a very robust process from Sport Ireland where they have engaged with every sporting organisation to look at their losses and solvency.
"March 2020 had a very devastating impact on the sporting system. Empty stadia, no spectators, and drops in membership.
“What we have tried to do is to give stabilisation and survival to the sport system. We are now looking at our sporting organisations and that their grassroots and development systems are maintained.
"We can hopefully look forward in a positive way to 2022, after a very robust assessment and evaluation with all sporting organisations in how we can maintain their operations and ensure their financial viability.
"The state has put in hundreds of millions into our sport system for decades and to lose that with concerns around the ongoing operation of the sport system in the short-term would really undermine grassroots participation.
"That's why all sporting organisations are going to benefit from this fund."
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