Maire Devine (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

We all know that sport is hugely beneficial to communities across this State. Sinn Féin recognises the importance of sport in our society. Our country has a strong tradition of sporting excellence in Gaelic games, provincial and international rugby, athletics, boxing and, hopefully, soccer. Sport benefits our mental and physical health and inspires confidence in our young people. It also supports community and inclusion by bringing all of us together at enjoyable and sometimes competitive events. I wish to take a moment now to commend the local authorities throughout the country and disability groups who came together today for the Make Way campaign, highlighting obstacles that block people's way, impede access and create dangerous hazards.

The sports capital programme has long been a lifeline for clubs and groups to improve sports amenities. In 2018, the largest number of clubs on record applied for funding. The sports capital grant was not available in 2017 and the programme had been run on an ad hocbasis for several years prior to that. The allocation of this year's funding laid bare the true extent of the Government's two-tier approach to service provision. Private schools and clubs in wealthy areas were given substantial allocations while many clubs and schools in disadvantaged areas lost out. This rightly caused a furore at the time. Private schools and private clubs that charge large annual fees were given substantial sums - in some cases, up to €150,000 - while smaller clubs with no facilities were given tiny sums which would only cover the cost of a lawnmower to mow the grass on a rented pitch.

Sinn Féin has proposed a suite of changes to the sports capital programme. We would ensure that additional funding is provided for the grant programme and that such funding is ring-fenced for disadvantaged areas. We also propose that additional weighting is given to disadvantaged groups in the application process. Further to this, we propose the closure of the sports capital programme to private schools and clubs that charge large membership fees. We would encourage such entities to re-invest their profits in their own amenities. The scheme is clearly unequal because the more one has, the more one gets. This is widening the gap in terms of facilities and reducing opportunities for the majority of young people. In my own area in Dublin 8 I carried out a simple audit over the summer months on how people with disabilities access leisure spaces. I spoke to three people in wheelchairs of various ages who could not access leisure facilities because of the so-called kissing gates in their local park. They wanted to join in a game of handball but they could not access the space. We need a nationwide audit of how people with disabilities access sports spaces. There is not one full pitch between the canals in Dublin 8 even though the area is home to more than 55,000 people. People are playing camogie and other games on small, rented pitches. The Dublin south central area also has an above average percentage of people with disabilities.

To return to the sports capital programme, the application process is arduous. Private schools and clubs are better equipped to submit successful applications than smaller disadvantaged clubs. I have assisted several small clubs with their applications. The process can be overwhelming and off-putting to communities struggling to do their best to provide for our youth. The Government's strategy refers to a review of the application process and I hope that happens soon.

This motion calls for equality in participation and is admirable. It emphasises the need to ensure that people with disabilities have greater access to sporting facilities. There are serious concerns about the lack of detail in the national sports policy. There are no specifics in terms of planning or funding, which is a cause for concern. The Government pledges to "look at" the possibility of appointing sports inclusion disability officers but I wonder what that actually means. Sinn Féin supports any measures that will improve services and facilities for disabled people and ensure increased access. This is happening in the context of health, transport and work. After too many years of delay, the Government finally ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities this year. However, it did not ratify the optional protocol to that convention, leaving the entire thing fairly toothless.

The sports strategy refers to the role of sport in inclusion. We need a clear plan for disability in sports but this is not a feature of the sports strategy. The plan also mentions weighting in terms of establishing social and other needs. If this is done in the same manner as the sports capital programme, it will be pointless because it is clearly not working. The plan also speaks of "looking at" and "encouraging" which are further examples of weak language. The plan is not substantial or robust enough. We need a focus on disability and social exclusion, with specific funding identified to pursue goals and deliver change.

The Government's plan aims to target funding specifically to sports in which Ireland has medal chances. While I understand that, it means that many other sports will lose funding. We need to think about our priorities. Are we in the business of buying medals? I know that other countries are doing that but would it not be better to focus on health and inclusion? It is all about the journey and not just about the goal of gold.

There is a small section in the strategy on all-Ireland sports but there is no tangible plan or commitment. It makes sense to pursue this matter on a 32 county basis, given the size of our country.We need commitments in that regard.

We will be supporting this motion and supporting Senator Dolan's amendment. I commend Senator Conway for his efforts in terms of the growing awareness among society that people with disabilities face barriers on a daily basis.