Athletics Ireland is targeting only a third Olympic medal on the track since the turn of the century at Paris 2024.
After the disappointment of only the mixed relay team reaching a final in Tokyo, Athletics Ireland have published a performance plan for the next two Olympic Games, up to LA 2028.
High Performance director Paul McNamara predicts multiple medals is a realistic goal for six years time with the top young talent coming through.
"Medals in 2028 are much more realistic but we're certainly hopeful of a medal in 2024," said McNamara.
"We've some very talented athletes that are actually performing ahead of where one might have expected, given their age and stage of development.
"Dave Kenny had a massive breakthrough already this season in the midst of his final college year, and he will kick on now having graduated from engineering in Cork.
"We all know how talented Rhasidat (Adeleke) is and what she can do, 2028 really is where she's going to be at her best.
"Sarah Healy continues to progress, 4.02 is a very impressive performance and she knows she has to go faster than that to be truly impactful on the global stage.
"Kate O'Connor has shown that she is capable of being a world class performer, so there are world class athletes who can really make an impact at the highest level.
"We have identified a medal in Paris 2024 as an objective - it may be reality based optimism to a degree but the performance intent is clearly stated."
The independent Tokyo Review commissioned by Sport Ireland identified a need for Athletics Ireland to devise a clearer coaching structure and model, and to establish a clearer framework for athlete support beyond the Sport Ireland Campus.
The new performance strategy does highlight performance coaching as a key area for investment.
"We're conscious we have to do better ourselves," said McNamara.
A record 23 track athletes competed in Tokyo.
But even allowing for Ciara Mageean's injury and Tom Barr's unfortunate touch off a hurdle that cost him a place in the 400m hurdles final, Team Ireland's aims weren't met on the track.
"It was slightly disappointing that more didn’t get across the line (to reach semi-finals or finals)," McNamara conceded.
"There are aspects of the Tokyo review, how it was done and the information we were privy that I'd question in a sense but overall it was objective.
"In terms of where we’d like to be at right now and the comprehensive results in Tokyo, it’s perfectly reasonable to say we’re not where we want to be.
"But moving forward into Paris and beyond, I think it’s very, very exciting times.
"Some of those athletes who have qualified and since improved again are very, very young athletes.
"As a benchmark for moving into 2024 and 2028 it’s reasonable to state we can be quite ambitious in terms of top 24, 16s, top eights and beyond."
Athletics Ireland wants to marry the development of home grown coaching talent with the need to integrate 'medal winning expertise and global credibility into our coaching eco-system'.
McNamara explained: "We are trying to identify individuals who have operated at the very highest level in our sport, who have delivered medals, maybe over several cycles, and who have real expertise to add.
"The problem is they come with a very high price tag.
"Where they have been utilised to coach athletes overseas always leaves a bitter taste in the mouth for indigenous coaching talent.
"We envision maybe one individual in speed/power events, one in endurance, who’d be contracted one day a week initially, with a very specific remit of augmenting relationships with key athletes and their coaches.
"And we are working towards the idea of a full-time head coach."
Asked if he was happy with Athletics Ireland's current level of funding, McNamara quipped: "A performance director is never happy with the funding available to him, it's as simple as that!
"But overall we received a 17% investment increase between those two strands of HP core and athlete carding.
"The significant jump in athlete carding was largely overlooked in the funding announcement, it has gone to €460,000.
"So that increase takes a lot of pressure off core programme funding and that can be used to support coaches more specifically.
"We're very happy with what Sport Ireland do for us but we have to acknowledge there are things we have to do better and want to do better.
"The reality is that Sport Ireland funding is very much predicated on global medals.
"We aren't currently winning global medals - we're winning a hell of a lot of medals at every other grade, more than we've ever won before, and that talent is moving through the system.
"I think we'll see an upswing in our funding over the next couple of months based on this strategy - and a continued upswing in Sport Ireland funding based on the government commitment and based on the trajectory of sport.
"We do always want more and Sport Ireland are keenly aware of that."
