Joanna Tuffy (Dublin Mid West, Labour)
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Question 176: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the plans in place to ensure the continuation and sustainability of the sports inclusion disability officer programme in County Meath for 2010; if his attention has been drawn to the achievements of the sports inclusion disability officer programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45119/09]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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Special funding of €2.5 million was allocated from the dormant accounts fund for the appointment of 20 Sports Inclusion Development Officers (SIDOs) in Local Sports Partnerships (LSPs) in 2008. The SIDOs were appointed on two-year contracts to provide opportunities for persons with a disability to participate in sport and physical activity.

A network of 33 LSPs have been set up throughout the country by the Irish Sports Council (ISC) to coordinate and promote sport at local level especially amongst specific target groups such as older people, girls and women, people with disabilities, unemployed people, and those who live in identified disadvantaged communities. The special dormant accounts funding was in addition to the annual funding provided to the LSPs by the ISC for programmes and initiatives aimed at increasing participation in recreational sport. The ISC has allocated €6 million to the LSPs in 2009.

The continuation of the SIDO scheme from 2010 will be dependent on the outcome of the 2010 Estimates deliberations.