Mary Upton (Dublin South Central, Labour)
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Question 262: To ask the Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport the location of the 17 sports inclusion disability officers; the reason that 15 local sports partnerships do not have a SIDO: the estimated cost of extending the SIDO network to every local sports partnership; if it is planned to fund this network into 2011; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30650/10]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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A network of 32 Local Sports Partnerships (LSPs) have been set up throughout the country by the 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.

As the Deputy is aware, there are currently seventeen Sports Inclusion Disability Officers (SIDOs), employed within the following LSP locations, to engage with people with a disability and bring them into the community of sport.

o Cavan and Monaghan Sports Partnership

o Carlow Sports Partnerships

o Clare Sports Partnership

o Cork Sports Partnership

o Donegal Sports Partnership

o Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown Sports Partnership

o Kilkenny Sports Partnership

o Laois Sports Partnership

o Limerick City and County Sports Partnership

o Mayo Sports Partnership

o Meath Sports Partnership

o North and South Tipperary Sports Partnership

o Offaly Sports Partnership

o Roscommon Sports Partnership

o Sligo Sports Partnership

o Waterford Sports Partnership

o Westmeath Sports Partnership

The ISC's funding of €425,000 in 2010 for these SIDOs is part on an overall package of funding of €6.3 million for the 32 LSP network this year to implement a diverse range of programmes and it is evident that the LSPs are effective in delivering programmes locally to increase participation rates.

The continued funding of the SIDO scheme is a matter for the ISC in the context of the distribution of its budget and the Council's priorities within its ongoing funding of the LSP network.