Thomas Gould (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

320. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the initiatives that have been developed to educate young persons through sporting organisations on the dangers of problem gambling; her plans for more initiatives in 2021; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44234/20]

Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Government recognises the importance of a broader resumption of sport for both children and adults. In that context, my Department and Sport Ireland are engaging with the various sporting bodies to inform a review of the measures currently in place for sporting activity, which will be considered by Government early in the New Year.

While I acknowledge that problem gambling among young people is a matter of serious concern, neither I nor Sport Ireland have any statutory function in the development of education initiatives in relation to gambling and neither the Department or Sport Ireland fund programmes of the type described by the Deputy.

I share the Deputy's concern about the issue of problem gambling and I have raised these concerns with Sport Ireland. The Programme for Government commits to the development of initiatives to address problem gambling in sport and I will work with my colleague, the Minister for Justice, to see how Sport Ireland can assist and contribute to the development of such initiatives.