Ed Wyeth, Financial Controller at the Olympic Federation of Ireland, explains the tax reliefs available to donors.
For decades, the Federation of Irish Sport (FIS) has campaigned for sport to be recognised as a deserving recipient of charitable donations, not merely through goodwill, but with tangible fiscal incentives that unlock private giving to clubs, high-performance programmes, and community sport alike.
That long-standing advocacy found powerful expression in Ireland’s Budget 2025, with landmark changes that, for the first time, extend meaningful tax relief on donations to approved sporting bodies. From 1 January 2025, individuals giving €250 or more to qualifying sports organisations can benefit from income tax relief, either personally or by passing the value directly to the organisation they support. These reforms represent a profound shift in how sport is funded in Ireland – one that aligns it more closely with other sectors that have long benefited from philanthropic support.
At the Team Ireland Foundation, these changes aren’t just policy wins on paper, they are already reshaping how we engage with donors, plan long-term funding, and support our athletes on the world stage.
To unpack what Budget 2025 really means for donors and for Irish sport more broadly, we asked Ed Wyeth, Financial Controller at the OFI, to answer the questions that matter most: how the relief works, who benefits, and how you can make your support go further.
What specific Irish tax relief applies to donations to the Team Ireland Foundation?
In its simplest form, the introduction in late 2024 of Section 847AA of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 means that any individual who donates €250 or more to the Team Ireland Foundation can deduct the value of that donation from their taxable income.
Income tax for Irish individuals is charged at 20% up to a defined threshold, and 40% above that threshold. The amount of tax saved as a result of the donation is referred to as tax relief.
Section 847AA also allows an individual donor to cede this tax relief to the Team Ireland Foundation, enabling the Foundation to claim the value of that relief directly from Revenue, increasing the overall impact of the donation.
Companies that donate €250 or more are also entitled to tax relief, though corporate donors cannot surrender the relief to the Foundation. Corporation tax relief is currently applied at 12.5%.
Worked Donation Scenarios
How the relief works in practice
Irish Individual Donor (Higher-Rate Taxpayer)
Donation: €10,000
Tax rate: 40%
Option 1 – Donor claims the relief
Donation paid: €10,000
Income tax saved: €4000
Net cost to donor: €6000
Foundation receives: €10,000
Option 2 – Donor cedes the relief to the Foundation
Donation paid: €10,000
Tax relief ceded: €4000
Foundation receives: €14000
By choosing to cede the relief, the donor increases the impact of their gift by 40%.
Irish Corporate Donor
Donation: €50,000
Corporation tax rate: 12.5%
Donation paid: €50,000
Corporation tax relief: €6,250
Net cost to company: €43,750
Foundation receives: €50,000
US-Based Donor (via Ireland Funds)
Donation: $50,000
Route: Ireland Funds (Section 501(c)(3))
Donation made to Ireland Funds. US tax deductibility applies (subject to US rules).
Funds transferred to the Team Ireland Foundation.
Foundation receives full philanthropic value
What are the minimum and maximum thresholds?
To qualify for tax relief, individuals and companies must donate a minimum of €250 in a tax year. There is no upper limit on the amount that can be donated while still qualifying for relief.
How does the relief differ for individuals and companies?
The donation process is the same for all donors, with the Foundation issuing a receipt confirming the qualifying donation.
To claim relief:
- Individuals submit an annual income tax return
- Companies include the donation in their corporation tax return
Please note that if an individual taxpayer does not ordinarily submit an income tax return as they do not have additional sources of income other than their salary, they will be required to submit a return in order to obtain the tax relief. The relief in these cases would be in the form a tax refund.
How can US-based donors give tax-efficiently?
The Team Ireland Foundation has partnered with ‘Ireland Funds’, a Philanthropic organisation which avails of s501(c)(3) status in the United States of America.
This means that donations to the Ireland Funds by US-donors qualify the donor for tax relief. Ireland Funds then repatriates the donation back to Ireland to the Foundation.
What compliance and reporting obligations apply?
Every donation made will receive a receipt from the Foundation confirming the details of the payment. Should individuals wish to cede their tax relief to the Foundation they must do so at the time the donation is made by completing a short Revenue certificate provided to them by the Foundation. These certificates will be used by the Foundation to claim the tax relief surrendered on an annual basis from Revenue.
*The finance team in the Olympic Federation of Ireland is always available to try and help answer questions and address concerns but cannot provide tax advice. It is important for prospective donors to seek out their own independent tax advice.