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

The National Sports Policy 2018-2027 and the Sports Action Plan 2021-2023 commit to the development and implementation of a national swimming strategy. The strategy will be the first of its kind in Ireland and will be based on a vision to provide everyone in Ireland with an opportunity to swim. It will be suited to all ages and abilities and will seek to recognise swimming as a life skill with participation potential over the full course of life.

The working group tasked with the detailed work of preparing the strategy is chaired by my Department and comprises representatives from relevant national governing bodies for sport and stakeholders, specifically Swim Ireland, Sport Ireland, CARA, Ireland Active and the local authorities. An online public consultation process was launched on 9 September 2022 and closed on 7 October 2022. An extensive consultation across relevant stakeholders has operated in parallel with this process and is now drawing to a conclusion.

I have been very heartened by the response rates to the consultation, which are testament to the increased popularity of swimming and the critical role it can play in terms of our physical health and mental well-being. Work is ongoing on the analysis of the very large number of responses received to ensure that the strategy encompasses all of the issues raised and views expressed to the greatest extent possible. Thousands of submissions were made as part of the public consultation.

That is being dealt with through each submission. It is important where we have that scale of input from communities that we use that to the benefit of a positive national swimming strategy.

We had hoped to conclude it by year end and work is ongoing to bring it to a conclusion. However, I also want to make sure we get it right and it may be into early next year before it is concluded.

We are keen on matching the ambition and vision that is there with the pop-up pools we have established in certain areas where there is a deficit of swimming pool infrastructure. We are looking to partner with Swim Ireland continuously on that.

There are new innovative ways that we can deliver opportunities from a water safety perspective for communities across the country and this strategy will encompass all of that when it is published.

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