Jennifer Murnane O'Connor (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

My colleagues and I in Fianna Fáil are happy to support the motion. All people, regardless of gender, race or ability should have the opportunity to enjoy quality participation in physical activity in sport because it is good for us, in particular our health. Participation in physical activity boosts feelings of physical, psychological and social competence. It is hugely enjoyable and can increase a person's resistance to stress. Exercise and other physical activities produce endorphins, which are chemicals in the brain that act as a natural painkiller and also improve the ability to sleep, which in turn reduces stress. The repercussions of stress, such as elevated cortisol levels and inflammation, can wear us out from a cellular level up to our major biological system. Through exercise and sport people can learn values and habits such as participation, reliability, competitiveness, fair play and sportsmanship.

Sport plays a key role in facilitating social participation, friendship and inclusion. I am proud that Carlow has some fantastic sporting organisations that encourage inclusion and participation, including the very active local sports partnership, the Institute of Technology Carlow, primary and secondary schools, the swimming pool, sports clubs, fitness groups, yoga houses and organisations and special facilities such as the Holy Angels centre and the Delta Centre. I am sure the Minister of State is very much aware of these centres, which play a significant role in the lives of children in Carlow. We are so proud of that.

The positive impacts of physical activity on persons with learning, physical and sensory disability have been demonstrated. We had major success recently in the Special Olympics and we will send athletes to the 2019 Special Olympics World Summer Games in Abu Dhabi in March. Those games will be the world's largest humanitarian and sporting event of 2019 and will see 7,000 athletes compete in 24 sports. Many of those athletes will be Irish and I wish them well, especially those from County Carlow.

We will celebrate our local Special Olympics groups with a reception on 8 October because they deserve it and we want to applaud them. It is great that we in Carlow appreciate the work of those involved in the Special Olympics. We will have a big night out for them and I am proud to be involved in organising it. I am also proud to be here tonight to support this motion.

Like all athletes, from tiny tots to veteran competitors, each one should be applauded for his or her success and each opportunity made available. Research has shown that wheelchair users who engage in physical activity have a lower rate of absence from work and fewer hospital admissions than their inactive colleagues. Wheelchair athletes have fewer pressure sores and kidney complications than sedentary wheelchair users. Exercising in an upright position reduces calcium loss after a spinal cord injury and exercise that improves muscle strength brings confidence in negotiating steps and other barriers. It has been demonstrated that both motor skills and the speed at which manual work is performed improved in people with intellectual impairment who exercise more. It is all about being inclusive and the importance of everybody having equal access to exercise.

The positive effects of physical activity on persons with learning, physical and sensory disability include improvements in general health, physical fitness, bone metabolism and exercise function and dependence. There is also increased mobility and a reduction in chronic disease and secondary complications. Physical activity also has a mitigating effect on challenging behaviour among adults. Individuals with disabilities are significantly less likely to participate in sport and exercise than those without disabilities, yet people with disabilities have similar motivations to those without disabilities for taking part in sport and physical activity. The main motivations among both groups are improving health, fitness, spending time with friends and family and controlling weight. That point comes from a Irish Sports Monitor, ISM, study from 2013, of which I know the Minister of State is aware.

Sport Ireland has committed to adopting an inclusive approach across the entire organisation and in its interaction with organisations and individuals to actively promote such an approach throughout the sport and physical activity sector. I welcome that approach because it involves all of us working together to make sure we can all take part if we choose. That is what it is all about, namely, all of us taking part.

An important commitment is to ensure that all sports facilities directly managed or State funded are fully accessible in terms of physical and programme access and to fully engage with the disability sector in developing policies and programmes. As previous speakers said, it is all about working together and ensuring access for all, including those who use a wheelchair or have a disability. We must all work together through the various Departments. I know that will be part of the Minister of State's programme.

It is important that we encourage and promote the participation to the fullest extent possible of persons with disabilities in mainstream sporting activities at all levels, ensuring that people with disabilities have an opportunity to organise, develop and participate. That is a major concern for me. Access is so important for people with disabilities. We must be inclusive and ensure that a disability is not an obstacle to accessing sporting, recreation or tourism venues and that children with disabilities have equal access to play and recreation as other children. It is important to ensure recreation and sporting activities are inclusive.

I am honoured to speak to today's motion and to support it. Disabled children and adults play a major part in communities and give us such love. From dealing with children and adults in my constituency, I am aware of how much they give to the community and their families. I am delighted this important issue was raised today. We in Fianna Fáil will give the motion our full support. I commend all those involved.