Chris Andrews (Dublin Bay South, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

People from across the sporting community tuned in yesterday to follow the budget announcements and to hear what support and investment sport and recreation would get in 2024, only to be bewildered and left wondering where was the support for which the sporting sector had been calling. This budget has made it clear that sport and recreation is not even on the radar when it comes to priorities for Fine Gael, the Green Party and Fianna Fáil. Year after year, Ireland has had the lowest level of investment in sport and recreation across the entire EU and this budget has ensured Ireland will stay at the bottom of the list. Simply put, in comparison with the rest of the EU, sport in Ireland is neglected. As a result, improvements in levels of participation in sport are either stagnant or moving at a snail's pace. Worst of all, we are seeing the harsh impact of the cost-of-living crisis on children. Barnardos has said that nearly one quarter of parents have had to stop or reduce their child's sporting activities due to rising costs. This was reinforced in the Irish Sports Monitor's annual report, which painted a clear picture of growing inequality in sport. Children are paying the harsh price for this Government's neglect of sport and recreation.

Sinn Féin would provide our sporting community with the respect it deserves. We would introduce a leisure card that would make sport more affordable and accessible to children across the State. The leisure card scheme would drive up participation and support families during this cost-of-living crisis.

We would increase capital funding for sports facilities, providing communities with the modern sports facilities they urgently need. Sport and recreation are crucial to society and vital to our social fabric. It is about time sport and recreation were shown the respect and support they deserve.

See this speech in context