Analysis: The Irish success stories at the Paris Games show why investment in our elite-level athletes must continue to grow

It’s the time-honoured question after every Olympic Games: how do you measure the value of an Olympic medal? For Ireland, Paris 2024 was the country’s most successful ever Games: seven medals, four gold, three bronze, 26 top-10 finishes, all led by the nation’s largest-ever team of 134 qualified athletes.

After basking in the glow of two weeks of glory in Paris, the Irish public now has an appetite for even more success at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. There will be a growing number of kids eager to join their local sports clubs too, following in the footsteps of Kellie, Mona and Rhys.

After enjoying the spectacle of world-class Irish performances across swimming, rowing, gymnastics, boxing and athletics, the public is curious to understand how this success came about. More importantly, how we can keep it going in the future?

The conclusion of every Olympic cycle raises important questions about what we want the future of sport in this country to look like. Crucially, this concerns funding and how it should be allocated. Off the back of Paris 2024 – and to ensure its impact does not go to waste – many are asking if the Irish government should reassess its priorities in terms of its level of investment in sport and what areas deserve more attention.

Together, greyhound and horse racing received €95 million in state funding this year, which is the most investment from the government in any sport in Ireland. In comparison, high-performance sports were allocated €25 million in 2024. A debate is slowly beginning to emerge over whether money being poured into industries like greyhound racing could be better spent on increasing youth participation in sport at the grassroots. Thereby ensuring there is a pathway to the elite-level for the next generation of Wiffens, McClenaghans and Adelekes.

Speaking ahead of the homecoming event for Ireland’s Olympic heroes, Tánaiste Micheál Martin announced that an additional €400 million will be invested in Irish sport. This includes funding for a new national velodrome and badminton centre. “It’s an essential need for our sporting infrastructure in the country,” said Minister of State for sport Thomas Byrne. “We will see a step change in facilities all around the country.”