Neale Richmond (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I will be as brief as possible. I join with colleagues in welcoming the Minister to the House and I thank him for his remarks on the wide range of areas covered by his portfolio.

Ireland's staging of the 2023 World Cup would offer a huge opportunity to, among other things, encourage increased participation in sport in this country. I would like to focus my remarks today on adult participation in sports. A recent report from the Irish Sports Monitor shows that the number of adults regularly participating in sport has dropped to its lowest level since reporting began in 2007. Currently, 45% of adults participate in sport, which is a decrease of 2% since 2011. This decline is largest among men and is strongest felt in the area of team sports. In my own sport of rugby the fall-off rate in players once they reach 18 years of age is staggering. Where once we saw clubs fielding seven or eight adult teams they are now lucky to field three teams. There has been an understandable and worthwhile focus in recent years on increasing levels of activity and participation among children. There must now be a similar push for increased adult involvement in organised sport. The option of being an armchair sports fan is easier now than it has ever been, with 24-hour sports coverage from around the world on television and online. This is robbing grassroots clubs of adult players, as well as the coaches and volunteers so vital to supporting younger generations. Beyond the physical well-being of our adult population, the societal and mental health benefits of participating in organised sport, particularly team sports, is well documented. Many of our leading sport organisations and elite athletes, such as Jack McGrath and Ashling Thompson, have been to the fore in recent mental health awareness campaigns.

I call on the Minister to prioritise adult participation in organised sport, to engage with sporting bodies to address the obstacles to such participation and to, perhaps, use the next round of sports capital grants to help overcome these obstacles, be that the provision of modernised facilities, more artificial pitches or more floodlights. I would also like to inquire about the status of the swimming pool fund and whether it will be reintroduced in the lifetime of this Government. This is of particular interest to many adults and children in the Ballyogan area in particular, with which I know the Minister is familiar.