8. (1) The functions of Sport Ireland shall be the following:

(a) to develop strategies for increasing participation in recreational sport at national and local level and to co-ordinate the implementation of those strategies by all bodies (including public authorities and bodies funded from moneys provided by the Oireachtas) involved in promoting recreational sport and providing recreational facilities;

(b) to encourage the promotion, development and co-ordination of, and the achievement of excellence in, competitive sport;

(c) to support elite athletes in achieving excellence in sport;

(d) to facilitate, through the promulgation of guidelines and codes of practice, standards of good conduct, fair play and the elimination of doping in sport;

(e) to take such action as Sport Ireland considers appropriate, including testing, to combat doping in sport;

(f) to plan, implement, evaluate and monitor education and information programmes for good conduct, fair play and the elimination of doping in sport;

(g) in its capacity as the national anti-doping organisation in the State, to direct the collection of samples, to manage the testing and test results of samples and attend hearings, as required;

(h) to develop, or to continue the development of, a sports campus on the site;

(i) to manage, operate and maintain the sports campus referred to in paragraph (h);

(j) to manage, operate and maintain any other facilities as may be approved by the Minister;

(k) to develop and disseminate guidelines and codes of practice promoting best practice for the protection of children in sport consistent with child protection legislation;

(l) to develop coaches and tutors at all levels in sport and, in co-operation with sporting bodies, to ensure that—

(i) quality-assured coach and tutor education programmes and qualifications are established and maintained to meet national requirements, and

(ii) those qualifications are recognised, where appropriate, within the National Framework of Qualifications;

(m) where the Minister so directs, to arrange for research to be conducted concerning competitive sport or recreational sport;

(n) to disseminate information concerning competitive sport or recreational sport;

(o) to encourage individuals and the private sector to contribute to the development of sport;

(p) to furnish and equip the sports campus, referred to in paragraph (h), with such plant, machinery, equipment and apparatus as Sport Ireland considers appropriate;

(q) to encourage and promote the use of the sports campus, referred to in paragraph (h), by—

(i) persons participating in sport at professional and amateur levels, and

(ii) members of the public generally;

(r) to perform any additional functions assigned to Sport Ireland under section 9.

(2) Without prejudice to the generality of subsection (1), Sport Ireland may—

(a) develop and provide on the site such facilities and services that are complementary to the sports campus, including residential accommodation, as it considers appropriate,

(b) arrange with any institution, including an educational or scientific research institution, that is interested in the development of medical and research facilities for sport on the site and, if appropriate, elsewhere for the development of such facilities on such terms and conditions as Sport Ireland considers appropriate,

(c) arrange with any body involved in the promotion of sport at a national level for the use by that body, on such terms and conditions as Sport Ireland considers appropriate, of the site, or a part of it, for a purpose connected with sport, including the location of that body’s headquarters at the site, and

(d) enter into arrangements with any person, on such terms and conditions as it considers appropriate, for the provision to Sport Ireland by that person of financial assistance (whether by way of the provision of funds or the undertaking of works) for the development or provision of a ny sports facilities or services, or both, in the sports campus, referred to in subsection (1)(h), and the use by that person of those facilities and services.

(3) Subject to this Act, Sport Ireland shall have all such powers as are necessary or expedient for the performance of its functions.

(4) Without prejudice to the generality of subsection (3), Sport Ireland may do any or all of the following:

(a) co-operate with, advise and, subject to the criteria, terms and conditions established under section 11, provide assistance (including financial assistance) to any person or body (including a public authority) in respect of any matter related to the performance of Sport Ireland’s functions as Sport Ireland thinks desirable;

(b) subject to section 12(4), enter into any contracts (including sponsorship agreements) and arrangements;

(c) subject to section 12(5), accept gifts of money, land or other property on such terms and conditions (if any) or trusts as may be specified by the donor;

(d) make such charges as it considers appropriate, to any person other than the Minister, in consideration of the performance of its functions, for services rendered by it and the carrying on by it of activities and shall record receipts from such charges as income.

(5) Sport Ireland may recover, as a simple contract debt in any court of competent jurisdiction, from the person by whom it is payable—

(a) any amount due or owing to Sport Ireland under subsection (4)(d), or

(b) any refund due or owing to Sport Ireland under section 11(2)(b).

(6) Sport Ireland may, with the approval of the Minister, enter into agreements with other persons in order to perform the functions of Sport Ireland whether by means of a lease, concession or any other means.