---
title: Cleere calls for 20% tax relief on children’s sports memberships to support squeezed middle
description: Cleere calls for 20% tax relief on children’s sports memberships to support squeezed middle
---

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# [Cleere calls for 20% tax relief on children’s sports memberships to support squeezed middle](https://www.fiannafail.ie/news/cleere-calls-for-20-tax-relief-on-childrens-sports-memberships-to-support-squeezed-middle)

 Written by [Mark Higgins](https://www.fiannafail.ie/news/author/mark-higgins) | 28 April 2026

***Families now spending an average of €415 per child each year on sports memberships***

* *

Fianna Fáil TD for Carlow Kilkenny and former Kilkenny hurler Peter ‘Chap’ Cleere has called for the introduction of a 20% tax relief on children’s sports memberships, aimed at supporting the ‘squeezed middle’.

 

Under the proposal, families would receive a tax credit on membership fees for sporting organisations, capped at €500. Deputy Cleere said the measure would directly support the “squeezed middle” while reinforcing the Programme for Government commitment to increase grassroots participation in sport.

 

A report commissioned from the Parliamentary Budget Office by Deputy Cleere found that the average annual spend on sports membership is €415 per person across all sporting organisations.

 

Speaking about the proposal, Deputy Cleere said:

 

*“Costs associated with grassroots sports are becoming a barrier for many families across the country.*

* *

*“Across sports pitches in Carlow and Kilkenny, families are telling me they can be spending up to €1,500 a year when they have several children involved in sport. While the membership cost of playing for a local GAA club may be around €150 per child annually, those expenses quickly mount when multiple children are participating in different sports.*

* *

*“I firmly believe money should not be a barrier to children playing sport. A tax rebate on a portion of these costs would ease the burden on families and help more children get involved from a young age.*

* *

*“As someone who played inter-county hurling, my own journey began at grassroots level. I am concerned that current costs could prevent the next generation from starting or pursuing their ambitions. Sport is vital for children’s development and social interaction.*

* *

*“The Government should be enabling children to play as many sports as possible, and targeted tax relief would help achieve that.”*

* *

The Parliamentary Budget Office estimated that a full 20% tax relief on all sports memberships, capped at €500, would cost the Exchequer approximately €97 million in 2026.

Deputy Cleere said this figure reflects a broad application of the measure across both adults and children and s all ports. He clarified that the report was designed to set out the maximum cost ceiling of the measure, but he would be advocating for a more targeted approach that focuses on children aged 18 and under.

 

*“We have an opportunity to put money back into the pockets of hard-working families while encouraging greater participation in sport,” he said.*

* *

*“This is a proposal I will be pushing ahead of the October Budget. Children playing sport should never be a burden on families.”*

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**END**

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