Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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139. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the steps she can take to promote and develop the recovery of sport in Ireland with particular reference to the restrictions caused by Covid-19; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28055/20]

Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
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The COVID-19 pandemic has had a major impact on the sport sector, with all sporting activity suspended at the end of March. The sport sector has played a key role in supporting the public health by promoting key messages and many sports clubs throughout the country supported elderly and vulnerable members of their communities.  The sporting bodies have also done excellent work to develop and implement protocols for the safe return to training and competition, with guidance from Sport Ireland and the Expert Group on Return to Sport established by my Department. 

It is thanks to this hard work that sport in Ireland has thankfully already recovered to a considerable extent, notwithstanding the acute financial and operational difficulties still being encountered. From early June, group training was successfully resumed and our elite athletes returned to training. Significant national competitive events are also taking place and sports participation levels across the population have also recovered.

 Sport Ireland continues to be extremely active in its sport promotional activities. Sport Ireland’s network of Local Sports Partnerships (LSPs) is the primary means employed to deliver participation policies and action. Research recently undertaken by Sport Ireland indicates significant increases in the number of people participating in sport and physical, especially in relation to recreational walking and cycling.  Sport Ireland are also currently assessing applications for funding from sports bodies as part of the €70m package announced earlier in the Summer and plan to make announcements towards the end of October.

Finally, we must all be aware that case numbers and hospitalisations continue to rise and continue our efforts to prevent transmission of infection in our communities and to limit our social contacts. I would ask all those involved in Irish sport, from elite to grassroots, to continue to observe public health advice and to take all appropriate precautions at training and sporting events.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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140. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the degree to which she continues to liaise with the various sporting organisations with a view to restoration of sport to normality in the course of recovery from restrictions imposed due to Covid-19; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28056/20]

Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
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From the outset of the pandemic earlier this year, a close liaison has been maintained between my Department, Sport Ireland and the various sporting organisations. This has been achieved in particular through the establishment of a representative Sports Monitoring Group, which has held regular meetings over the past few months. In addition, Sport Ireland, which is the statutory body with responsibility for the development of sport, has maintained ongoing contact with the sporting organisations.

I have also met a number of the sporting organisations recently and I would hope to be in a position to hold further such meetings in the coming period.

This close collaborative relationship has provided an acute understanding of the difficulties and challenges that face the sports sector. It has also informed the development of the various funding packages in place to support the sector, which have been widely welcomed.