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25 Sept 2025
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25 Sept 2025
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MEP Nina Carberry with Jarlath Regan and Senator Evanne Ni Chuilinn in the European Parliament, Brussels
MEP for Leitrim Nina Carberry has said that there should be clear ringfenced sports funding in the next EU Budget, describing it as a “huge opportunity to break down barriers to physical activity and increase sports participation.”
Carberry made the comments in the European Parliament this week, where she hosted a conference marking the 10th European Week of Sport. While in Leitrim, events are taking place across the county in conjunction with Leitrim Sports Partnership to mark the occasion.
The conference featured contributions from comedian and health advocate Jarlath Regan, who spoke about the importance of physical activity following his kidney donation to his brother in 2017. Other guest speakers included Senator Evanne Ní Chuilinn, Phelim Macken of the Limerick Sports Partnership, and Cameron Keighron of the International Diabetes Federation.
Carberry welcomed the recent announcement of the doubling of the Erasmus+ budget, which supports education, training, youth, and sport to €40.8 billion. She stressed that the next step at EU level will be to ensure a significant proportion of that sum is ringfenced specifically for sport and physical activity.
Speaking after the conference, MEP Carberry said: “Right now, 45% of Europeans don’t take part in any sport or physical activity. That’s a worrying statistic and it puts huge pressure on our healthcare systems.
“That’s why the EU’s decision to boost Erasmus+ funding is such good news. It shows a real commitment to making sport and physical activity available to everyone, no matter their background or ability.
“The challenge now is to make sure Local Sports Partnerships, like the one in Leitrim, get their fair share of funding.”
Carberry highlighted the €320,419 in national core funding allocated to Leitrim Sports Partnership earlier this year and noted that this national support could be further boosted by EU funds into the future.
READ MORE: Leitrim schools urged to support annual Christmas shoebox appeal
“We need to reinforce national investment with EU programmes and make sure Local Sports Partnerships have the right backing and expertise to draw down from the larger Erasmus+ budget,” she concluded
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