Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I might ask a few questions, although they will be observations more than questions. I refer to an issue has not been discussed. Representatives from Swim Ireland have appeared before the committee. As our guests will be aware, swimming pools throughout the country have, no different from any other sporting facility, experienced severe impacts. Most of them have been closed for months. My local swimming pool was built as a community venture. It was not built by the local authority or any sporting organisation but community people on the ground felt the need for a local swimming pool and built it. It has been closed since the beginning of the pandemic and I am sure there are many like it throughout the country. I would like to hear our guests' views on that and where Sport Ireland sees opportunities in that regard. Swim Ireland recently sought applications for funding. Swimming taps into all demographics within a community and it is so important to find ways for pools to reopen and keep open their doors sustainably.

LSPs, along with local authorities, are doing invaluable work to get people who might not ordinarily do sport involved in sporting activities, with initiatives such as Couch to 5K. Events are happening throughout the country, in rural communities as much as urban communities. The LSPs have some magic ingredient for getting people involved who might not ordinarily get involved, and have been crucial in keeping people of all ages outside, active and engaged in their communities, particularly in rural areas.

The witnesses spoke a little about women's participation in sport. Recently, the Nancy Murray Cup for camogie was held, which Cavan won, I have to point out. Social media campaigns such as See It to Believe It are very useful. Mr. Mulvey noted that after the age of 16, there is a drop-off among women in sport. Leanne Kiernan, of course, is a shining light as a role model for young women because of where she has taken her sporting career. That is an area we all could do with working on and promoting.

I would like to hear their observations on the issues I raised.