Martin Conway (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

In recent years we have seen a significant increase in the number of people with disabilities taking part in sports. Let us consider the Special Olympics and more recently the Paralympic Games and the benefits they bring from a health perspective. I call on the Leader to facilitate at some stage before the end of term a debate with the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport specifically on activity and inclusion of people with disabilities in all sports. I note the fact that several million euro have been made available in the past 18 months to upgrade swimming pools throughout the country to make them accessible to people with disabilities. Before the end of term I hope to have representatives from the Cara APA Centre at the Institution of Technology in Tralee make a presentation here on its worldwide ground-breaking research on the inclusivity of people with physical disabilities in sport. I also hope to facilitate a presentation in the audiovisual room from the three main sporting organisations in the country, the GAA, the FAI and the IRFU, on the significant behind-the-scenes work they are doing to encourage the various units of their organisations to engage with people with disabilities and facilitate equal access to sport.

The health of our nation is remarkably important and the health and physical activity of people with disabilities is an area that needs to be further developed. It needs resources to be channelled by central government. A public private partnership between the main sporting bodies and the Government in this area is necessary because we are all aware of the equality that participation in sport can create.