Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael)
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I thank Deputy O'Keeffe for raising this. We are all well aware of the important health and well-being benefits of participation in sport by children and adults. Government investment in participation initiatives is having an impact and we will continue to invest in programmes and initiatives to increase participation levels further.

The national physical activity plan, launched in early 2016, contains a series of actions designed to foster increased physical activity by children and young people, including primary school children. My colleague, the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Richard Bruton, exercises lead responsibility for the majority of these actions. Significant progress has been made in relation to these actions, details of which are available in a progress report published on the Healthy Ireland website in December 2017. In respect of adult participation in sport, the 2017 Irish sports monitor report published by Sport Ireland last month shows that 43% of the adult population regularly take part in sport, representing 1.6 million regular participants.

Government investment in participation in sport is channelled through Sport Ireland, which invests in a wide range of programmes aimed at increasing participation in sport, including programmes aimed at groups currently underrepresented in sport. Sport Ireland is committed to providing enhanced sporting opportunities targeted at those less likely to participate through the local sports partnership network, national governing bodies and other partners. In the context of the new national sports policy, currently being finalised in my Department, there will be a strong focus on increasing participation levels in sport and physical activity at all ages and particularly for children and young people.

Achieving such increased participation levels is a significant challenge that will require the development of new projects and programmes in the future as well as continued implementation of existing successful initiatives. I consider that a fundamental requirement in this context is to maintain and strengthen links between the various Departments, agencies and sporting organisations. The means to address this requirement will be set out in the new sports policy. This will also refer to the need to invest further in sport. However, I can also point to many positive things happening on the ground, particularly in respect of our young people. The "daily mile", which was an outstanding success in Scotland, has been reported on here. Schools, Athletics Ireland, Sport Ireland and our Department are trying to see this rolled out in all schools throughout the country. It is very positive.

Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael)
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As Deputy O'Keeffe knows, the Department of Education and Skills has carried out much work in respect of increasing the status of physical education in schools. I will address some of the other work going on that is worthy of a mention. The Government provides €10.8 million in core grant funding through the national governing bodies and Sport Ireland. Another €6 million goes to the local sports partnerships. Their key aim is to increase participation in sport at local level. That is sometimes overlooked but their work is very important. I refer in particular to areas underrepresented in sport. They do really good work.

The women in sport programme provides another €0.6 million to 26 national governing bodies. In addition, €7.54 million was allocated in 2017 to youth field sports by Sport Ireland. That money is again often overlooked but it is important funding as well. The sports monitor gave us some very interesting data recently but also something about to be published later this year will be very important in respect of young people and children in particular. I refer to the updated children's sport participation and physical activity, CSPPA, report. The last one was published 2010. That is something we will be watching keenly because it gives us a specific focus on children.

Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael)
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There is a subgroup of the national physical activity plan on children and young people. That focusses on 14 of the 60 actions trying to increase participation by children in sport. There is also representation on that group from Comhairle na nÓg, the National Parents Council and the agencies and national governing bodies as well. That is an important area in trying to implement those action points. I commend the work of everybody involved. To add to what Deputy O'Keeffe said, we do need to have more outlets. We try to provide outlets through the sports capital programme to ensure the best possible infrastructure is available to as many people as possible. Another key area has to be a focus on nutrition and what people, and children in particular, are putting into their bodies. Sometimes high levels of sugars and saturated fats are accepted as part of ordinary diets and they really should not be. That is another area we need to examine. I also compliment the work of Healthy Ireland and what it is doing on that front. That is all part of the bigger picture that we need to focus on.