Mr. John Treacy:

I thank the Chair and the committee for giving me the opportunity to make this address. Sport Ireland conducted a study of children’s sport participation and physical activity in 2010. The study referred to considerable international evidence highlighting the benefits of physical activity in children and young people. It also identified that physical activity is important to children's current and future health and that adherence to physical activity guidelines produces a range of direct and indirect benefits. Physical activity assists in the control of body weight by increasing energy expenditure and it helps children and young people achieve a healthy energy balance and avoid developing adult obesity. It reduces the risks of developing premature cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and some forms of cancer. In addition, physical activity reduces depression, anxiety and enhances mood, self esteem and quality of life.

Participation in regular physical activity has been found to have a positive effect on behaviour, attention span and academic performance. Physical inactivity, on the other hand, is a leading risk factor for poor health and is now identified by the World Health Organization, WHO, as the fourth leading risk factor for global mortality. It is estimated to be associated with 1 million deaths per year in the WHO European region. The cost and consequences associated with physical inactivity are now becoming more obvious. Estimates for the direct and indirect costs of physical inactivity are alarming. Sport Ireland and Healthy Ireland have agreed to co-fund the follow up to the children's sports participation and physical activity study which will replicate the previous study and produce updated information. We expect to have that published by November 2018.

The national physical activity guidelines recommend that children between the ages of two and 18 should be actively involved for 60 minutes of moderate to high intensity activity per day. This activity should include muscle strengthening, flexibility and bone strengthening exercises at least three times a week. The 2010 study found that 19% of primary school and 12% of post primary school children met the physical activity recommendations. Girls are less likely than boys to meet them. The likelihood of meeting the recommendations decreases with increasing age and one in four children were unfit, overweight or obese and had elevated blood pressure. Importantly, the research found that children who met the physical activity recommendations and the guidelines of at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity had the best health profile. This study reinforces a considerable body of international evidence showing the health benefits of physical activity. What really concerns Sport Ireland is the number of children at primary and secondary level who are not active and not meeting any physical activity recommendations.

The 2010 study found that even though many children were physically active in some capacity, for example, through PE classes or after-school sports, they were not meeting the physical activity guidelines.

There are more opportunities than ever for children and young people to engage in sport and physical activity. While sport plays an important role in getting children active, it is not the only solution. This is where Sport Ireland feels that the role of schools is of paramount importance. Our view is that regular physical activity, through the delivery of PE classes, is as important a part of the school experience as reading, writing and mathematics. It should start as soon as children begin primary school. We can look at strong international models for this. It is compulsory for primary schools in Denmark to offer an average of 45 minutes of physical activity per school day. Similarly, PE classes are provided five days a week in Hungary. While Sport Ireland welcomes the positive recent developments in the PE curriculum in the senior cycle, we feel that more needs to be done in this area to ensure PE becomes a core part of the school experience. It is important for the new senior cycle PE initiative to be rolled out through the entire school system as a priority to increase physical activity levels and physical literacy among all children. It is critical for the full implementation of the new curriculum to be sufficiently resourced to ensure the maximum potential for its success.

The role of parents cannot be overstated. It is important for parents to ensure their children are kept physically active as part of a balanced lifestyle which incorporates nutrition. We are well aware that some parents write notes to excuse their children from PE classes. Parents need to take responsibility and be aware of the consequences of their children not engaging in physical activity. Children need to get into good habits at an early age. If this happens in the home and school environments, their chances of leading healthy lifestyles increase significantly. Evidence from other research, including the national longitudinal study of children, Growing Up in Ireland, and the Healthy Ireland survey indicates that there is a strong socioeconomic gradient in obesity levels. These findings emphasise the importance of focusing on individuals from lower socioeconomic groups around health behaviours such as physical activity and diet. Sport Ireland has placed a particular emphasis on getting these groups active through dormant accounts funding, the local sports partnership network and the community sports hubs initiative, which we are rolling out around the country. Increased investment in such initiatives is merited to reduce these health inequalities.

The publication of A Healthy Weight for Ireland, which is Healthy Ireland's obesity policy and action plan, is a welcome development in tackling childhood obesity in Ireland. It is fantastic to see such reports highlighting the important role of physical activity. Sport Ireland's view is that the effective interventions on physical activity identified in the policy should be delivered. A fundamental principle of the local sports partnership network, which is an initiative of Sport Ireland, is to remove any barrier that prevents participation in sport. In 2017, Sport Ireland allocated over €6 million to the 29 local sports partnerships. This resulted in approximately 340,000 people participating in 936 locally delivered participation programmes. Our programmes targeted people with disabilities, women in sport and older groups and we saw increases in participation numbers among those groups. That came through in the most recent edition of the Irish Sports Monitor. This is an example of the huge role of direct intervention in this area.

The local sports partnerships are the most important drivers of the inter-agency approach at local level. They can promote a positive environment at local level, in which physical activity becomes normal, and they can continuously explore new models of participation. For this reason, the local sports partnerships are named as key partners across many of the action areas in the national physical activity plan. Sport Ireland's local sports partnerships have a key role in delivering the 2017-2018 Healthy Ireland fund, with a specific focus on local actions to implement the national physical activity plan for Ireland.

Sport Ireland allocates dormant account funding to national governing bodies and local sports partnerships to support measures for disadvantaged communities under the national physical activity plan. We welcome the allocation of €4.4 million in dormant account funding to Sport Ireland at the end of 2017. This funding compliments Sport Ireland's support for national governing bodies. We are investing €10.8 million in national governing bodies under various programmes to support participants and volunteers in a wide range of sports. This core funding for national governing bodies covers the running of programmes for adults and children who engage in sport. It is hugely significant and badly needed.

The tackling of obesity across all facets of society is a complex and multilayered issue. It is clear from evidence that physical activity plays a major role in improving the overall health and well-being of our children. The results of the 2010 study have fed into the physical activity plan around the setting of targets for increasing physical activity among children. Sport Ireland is significantly involved in efforts under the national physical activity plan to increase participation in physical activity throughout the population, including among children. Sport Ireland will continue to work with the Government and key stakeholders to provide more opportunities for young people to engage in sport and physical activity.

As I said earlier, many Departments are highlighting the importance of physical activity in their policy papers. It is hugely significant. Ten years ago, that would not have been the case. It is on everyone's agenda. Obviously, we would like to see more happening at school time. This would be really important. Children who are not sporty can be left behind if they lack confidence. PE classes can help their confidence by giving them an opportunity to participate in a sport or physical activity that they can do well. They might be able to run a mile. If we are to ensure we attract every child in the classroom, we need to be innovative when it comes to those types of activities. It is critical, as we go forward, to remember that not being able to kick a football should not exclude a child from physical activity.