Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

That is what should happen.

I thank Senator Brennan for tabling this motion and the House for allowing me an opportunity to speak today. It is a long time since we had a debate on sport and I think more regular debates on sport is positive. I will begin by addressing the twin issues of the role of sport in Ireland and the contribution made by volunteers.

As the Minister of State with responsibility for sport, I am committed to increasing and developing participation and an interest in sport improving standards of performance and developing sports facilities. All of this contributes to a healthier society and an improved overall quality of life. I strongly believe that sport has the potential to enrich the lives of all people and we should all recognise the benefits that can be gained from being active.

This year, the sports and recreation services programme allocation increased by 28% on the allocation for 2013. This is mainly as a result of the additional funding of €11.5 million voted under the Government's stimulus programme for the sports capital programme and the allocation of €13 million towards the development of the national indoor arena at the National Sports Campus in Dublin. This is a very significant investment in Irish sport and is a strong indication of our commitment.

The Irish Sports Council will receive funding from my Department of €42.5 million. The focus of this spending is on increasing participating in sport and physical activity. This is one of the key objectives of my Department. I am very aware of the efforts that are being made by the governing bodies of sport in encouraging greater participation in sport. I will continue to work with the Irish Sports Council and the new body, Sports Ireland, following the merger of the council and the National Sports Campus Development Authority to ensure that there are greater sporting opportunities for young people in the future.

The health and social benefits of sport are widely recognised. One of the most urgent health issues in Ireland is obesity. Research shows that 38% of Irish people are overweight and 23% are obese. A worrying aspect is that one in four Irish children are carrying excess weight. It is clear an increase in the participation in sport and physical activity added to diet control would greatly benefit the overall health of the country and would lower the costs to the health sector. A healthier population would help to reduce public spending in the future.

The estimated economic cost of obesity is €1.13 billion per year. With that in mind, Healthy Ireland, a new government framework for action to improve the health and wellbeing of people and to reduce the risks posed to future generations, was launched last year. It is a whole-of-government approach and the involvement of local communities, as well as all of society is required. One of the commitment of the Healthy Ireland framework is the development of a national physical activity plan and my Department is co-chairing a cross-sectoral working group with the Department of Health to develop this plan. This is an example of the improved co-ordination and partnership between Departments and agencies in the area of sport and physical activity over the past number of years. It recognises the cross-cutting nature of the sport sector in areas such as health and education. We need to continue with this approach. It is expected that a draft national physical activity plan will be circulated for consultation shortly with key stakeholders.

We are very luck to have a host of very talented and highly skilled sportsmen and women who are wonderful role models for our young people. Last year was an exceptional year for high performance sport in Ireland with a record 67 medals achieved at world and European events. To date this year, 54 medals have been achieved. I hope the success of our sports people will inspire and encourage the younger generation to participate in sport and gain from the many benefits that sport can bring.

I am very encouraged by the latest data which show an increase in the number of people participating in sport. Figures from the Irish Sports Monitor Report for 2013 show that participation has increased from 44.8% in 2011 to 47.2% in 2013.

The value of participating in sport and physical activity cannot be underestimated. Every small improvement in participation levels means better health, social and economic benefits for individuals, and for society as a whole.

As well as measuring participation in sport, the Irish Sports Monitor examines social participation in sport through volunteering, club membership and attendance at sporting events. The 2013 report estimates that the economic value of volunteering could be over €1 billion a year. This highlights the importance of its contribution to Irish society. Sport in Ireland would not exist without the 500,000 people who volunteer throughout the country every year.