Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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Question 72: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism if funding for the local sports partnerships will be maintained, even during the economic downturn; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8513/09]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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The Agreed Programme for Government commits to the roll out of the Local Sports Partnership programme on a nationwide basis to provide for the development of sport at local level. The Irish Sports Council has a statutory role in the promotion and development of sport, including initiatives such as the Local Sports Partnership network, through which sports initiatives at local level are delivered and coordinated. While funding of the LSPs is a matter for the ISC, understand that the Irish Sports Council, even with a reduced budget for 2009, intends to continue with its support of the LSP initiative.

The Local Sports Partnerships are charged with increasing participation at a local level, ensuring that local resources are used to best effect and making sure that the experiences of participants in sport are positive.

Following an independent review of the LSPs by Fitzpatrick Associates in 2005, approval was given to the ISC to extend the LSP network from 2006 on a national basis. Accordingly, funding has been provided to the ISC to facilitate continued extension of the network.

33 LSPs have been established in the following locations: Carlow, Cavan, Clare, Cork City, County Cork, Donegal, Dublin City, Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown, Fingal, Galway City, Galway County, Kerry, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laois, Leitrim, Limerick City, Limerick County, Longford, Louth, Mayo, Meath, Monaghan, North Tipperary, Offaly, Roscommon, Sligo, South County Dublin, South Tipperary, Waterford, Westmeath, Wexford and Wicklow.

The Fitzpatrick Report identified the need for the introduction of a formal monitoring and evaluation framework for the LSPs. In April 2008 the Irish Sports Council published the first SPEAK report detailing the work of the Local Sports Partnerships and its evaluation of the impact that this has on the clubs and communities across the country.

The ISC recognises the importance of the use of an enjoyable multi-sport and non-competitive model to introduce our children to sport that will complement and enhance both our school and community sport programmes. With this in mind the Council has developed the Buntús Programmes (Generic and Start), which are exciting programmes developed to support teachers and childcare practitioners in introducing young people to sport and physical activity. The programmes are rolled out through the Local Sports Partnerships.

456,000 children have participated in Buntús and Buntús Start programmes. I look forward to the Local Sports Partnership Network having a major impact at local level in introducing our people, particularly the young, to sport and physical activity.