For Derval O’Rourke, there’s something simply not right when budding Olympians are struggling to pay their rent, but what was once the case during her career remains an ever-present reality for many today.

In total, 130 athletes and six squads across 16 sports will receive €2.68 million this year through Sport Ireland’s international carding scheme, and while that may sound a lot, it’s only half the amount that will be distributed to inter-county GAA players.

O’Rourke, a three-time Olympian, will be in the pundit’s chair on RTÉ for this year’s Games, and she’s cautioning against high expectations.

“We’re not a country that’s really preparing to send people to the Olympics to go really, really well,” she said at the launch of tomorrow’s Student Enterprise Programme National Finals.

Funding is a topic she couldn’t help think about when she saw the news earlier this week that female GAA players will have their grants trebled in 2021 to bring them in line with their male counterparts.

“The fact that they have now tried to equalise male and female support, I think it’s really important,” said O’Rourke.

“Fair play to the GPA for getting it over the line. You can’t compare (Olympic sports) to GAA and it isn’t as simple as saying should we take it from there and give it to international athletes.

“I hate when they pitch the GAA against other sports because I think it’s not comparable. But if I was (representing) other sports I’d be going: ‘Okay, how do we advocate for more money for our sports? How do we support our athletes? Is it okay that we’re sending our athletes to the Olympics with minimal funding, minimal support?

“If we’re talking about approaching things differently and equality of treatment, then let’s look at how we approach all of the funding in sport. It needs a drastic review. Where is it going? Why is it going there? What is the thinking?

“If you are an athlete getting €12,000 you are almost considered one of the lucky ones to prepare for an Olympic Games.

“Could you manage your life for a year on €12,000 and perform at the absolute highest level in your job? Probably not. So why are we expecting elite-level athletes to do it?”

She believes the reality of chasing the Olympic dream puts many in a poor financial position, both during and after their careers.

“I think we are losing people all the time because it is so difficult to make it work. Track at the Olympic Games is like you’re on a motorway and everybody’s got amazing cars, and sometimes I think with our athletes we kind of put them on there on skateboards, and we’re going, ‘best of luck racing those cars.’”

She casts her mind back 20 years, recalling how the international tier of funding within the carding scheme was about the same then as it is now.

“Imagine if you worked somewhere and the wages had stayed the same, it would be crazy stuff, it would never happen.

“The biggest stress through my track career was funding, negotiating funding, trying to justify why I should be funded, yet that’s really hard to say when you’re in it because you’re really worried you’re going to sound ungrateful and I was never, ever ungrateful for a penny I got.”