Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Question 127: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the formal links that exist between his Department and the Department of Education and Science in view of the positive role played by sport and art in the development of school pupils; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4772/08]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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The Department of Education and Science is represented on the inter-agency steering group which has been established by my Department to oversee the development of a National Sports Facility Strategy. The aim of the strategy is to provide high-level policy direction for future investment at national, regional and local level. The work of this group has included discussions with the Department of Education and Science on how its policy on the provision of sports hall facilities and my Department's policy for the provision of sports facilities might be complementary.

Links also exist between the Irish Sports Council (ISC), which is the statutory body with responsibility for the development of sport, including initiatives to promote sport among young people, and the Department of Education and Science. The ISC's Buntús Programme is being rolled out through the Local Sports Partnership network to primary schools. The Programme aims to support the primary PE curriculum by providing equipment, resource cards and training to teachers and allows teachers and introductory level coaches introduce sport to children in a safe and fun way. My Department is also represented on the National Youth Work Advisory Committee which is chaired by the Department of Education and Science.

The Department of Education and Science has comprehensive and wide-ranging structures and programmes in place to support arts-related activities in all areas within their remit. Work has commenced at an interdepartmental level with the Arts Council, the Department of Education and Science and my Department to further explore, consolidate and enhance this service in the context of consideration of the recommendations of a draft Report prepared for the Arts Council by a Special Committee on the subject of Arts in Education. I refer the Deputy to my earlier reply to Parliamentary Question 4871/08 in this regard.

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick East, Labour)
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Question 128: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the policy initiatives his Department instigated to promote sport among children as a way to combat childhood obesity; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4770/08]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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The Government recognises that the response to the issue of obesity must address the various complex causes, including diet, lifestyle and environmental factors. As part of this response, we are aware that investment in sport can yield very tangible returns in improved fitness and health for individuals, which can help combat obesity and result in a consequent reduction in the demand on health services. My Department funds the Irish Sports Council (ISC), the statutory body responsible for the development of sport in Ireland on an annual basis, and has allocated over €57 million to the ISC in 2008. This significant level of funding ensures that the ISC can continue to embark on initiatives and programmes that increase participation in sport and physical recreation by people of all ages in the country.

The Irish Sports Council's current strategy, "Building Sport for Life" 2006 — 2008, identifies increasing participation in sport as a key objective and, based on its research programme with the Economic and Social Research Institute, sets specific targets in this regard. Children and young people are specific target groups. There are several ISC programmes and initiatives aimed at young people including the following:

Buntús is a series of programmes aimed at giving young children the best possible start to lifelong involvement in sport. Operated through the Locals Sport Partnership (LSP) network, it supports the PE Curriculum in Primary Schools and has also been adapted for pre-school children and a range of sports-specific initiatives (e.g. soccer, rugby, golf, basketball and badminton).

Youth Field Sports initiatives include support for the work of the GAA, FAI and the IRFU in expanding their participation base, with a particular emphasis on young people and areas of low participation.

The Women in Sport scheme is a dedicated programme that supports innovative programmes with governing bodies and sports partnerships that target inactive women, with a particular emphasis on teenage girls.

Various projects within the LSP network target children and young people to promote greater levels of physical activity. Some of these projects have been supported in partnership with the Health Services Executive, thus recognising the need to challenge the issue of obesity through a multi-disciplined, cross-functional approach.

The availability of sporting facilities is crucial to the greater involvement of young people in sporting activities. In that context the government has invested significantly in the provision of such facilities through the Sports Capital and Local Authority Swimming Pool programmes. In 2007 under the Sports Capital Programme grants to the value of €85m were awarded to 935 projects nationwide while under the Pool Programme 8 new swimming pools were opened.

I will continue to monitor progress in this area closely and I am confident that the programmes provided by the Irish Sports Council to increase participation, especially those programmes targeted at children and young people, together with the continued investment in sports facilities will contribute significantly to combating the problem of childhood obesity in this country.