Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

As the Deputy said, water safety is an absolute priority. The national sports policy identifies swimming as one of three sports that have great potential for generating higher levels of active participation over the course of one's life, along with cycling and running. That is why it has been given priority status and is receiving additional funding under dormant accounts to promote greater participation under the Get Swimming campaign.

From my engagement with Swim Ireland in the context of treating swimming as a public good, I am aware it is examining excellent initiatives from the UK that will help broaden the reach of swimming into more communities where there are infrastructural deficits. It is also carrying out an ongoing survey of every piece of sports infrastructure in the country and tagging them in order that the geographical and community deficits can be accounted for.

It could be areas of disadvantage or regional places which do not have the adequate sports infrastructure and being able to respond appropriately. That will give us a national picture of where there is a deficit. On the issue of-----

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