SHAMROCK ROVERS HAVE successfully reclassified their academy as a childcare provider, which means players aged eight to 14 will get a further 200 hours of training per year, according to the club.
As a School Age Childcare provider (SAC) Rovers will now receive funding through the Department of Children’s National Childcare Scheme (NCS).
The League of Ireland club says it is a pioneering move for youth development in world football and have already written to parents whose children are in the academy informing them of the imminent changes.
As part of the new project, which will be rolled out in the next few weeks, between 25-30 coaches volunteering will be able to earn €400-600 per month in the medium to long term once the scheme is established.
The 42 has learned that the redesignation of the Rovers academy is supported by key figures in Government, including Minister for Housing Darragh O’Brien, Minister of State for Sport Thomas Byrne, and Colm Brophy, a key aide to Taoiseach Simon Harris.
Rovers have already secured approval from Tusla – the regulator of early years services in this country – for the next three years.
They have partnered with Sport Cosanta, a consulting firm focusing on child protection in sports clubs that was set-up by former player Eoin Doyle.
The initial changes at Rovers’ academy will be in place before the end of this year and will cater for players in its boys’ section aged up to 14.
By September 2025 the club also want to mirror this initiative in its girls’ set-up as they seek to overhaul that side of the academy.
Rovers have also received support from Leinster House to potentially start a pilot programme that would see the NCS extended for those players aged 15 to 18 in its academy.
While that pilot project has yet to be signed off, it’s understood it could also get the go-ahead before the end of next month.
By that time, Rovers anticipate that of the 70 current volunteers helping the academy function, between 25 to 30 of its coaches could eventually earn between €400-600 each per month.
If the extension of the scheme for 15 to 18 year olds is granted that would lead to the creation of up to 40 paid positions in the club worth a similar amount, and if fully operational with the girls’ academy the club estimate a six-figure profit per year for the academy in the long term.
That is because money paid as part of the NCS is directly linked to the hours that players come under the academy’s care, and Rovers predict that contact time for training with players in those age brackets will increase by 160 hours a year outside of school term-time, with a minimum 10-15% increase during term-time, taking it up to a total of 300 hours per year.
As part of the pioneering move, the academy will now be run by the newly established Shamrock Rovers Community Foundation CLG, a not-for-profit arm of the club.
All monies from the NCS will be paid directly to this Community Trust, an entity that will be legally bound to ensure its correct appropriation, such as reinvesting all profits into the Community Trust for academy activities to ensure all funds support its programmes.
While this is a move separate from the FAI and its own hope of securing Government funding of €10 million per year for League of Ireland academies, The 42 understands that Rovers chief executive John Martin has written to new FAI CEO David Courell offering the governing body a place on the board of directors of its CLG.
This is with a view to understanding how the new academy system and childcare regulations can operate in tandem and become a blueprint for clubs throughout the country.
The 42 has learned that several other League of Ireland sides have expressed interest in developing such a scheme.
The Tusla designation for Rovers also means the academy must now adhere to the strictest of child protection safeguards with measures already in place with regards compliance and increased Garda vetting of all coaches and academy staff.
This, too, has been part of the reason for Government support as it would mean the highest level of child protection for young kids in a football environment.
“It’s at an early stage of development but we feel it’s an innovative and progressive way of funding our academy and helping us support an industry,” Martin said. “We’ve been encouraged by the support from Government to pursue this.”
