Jennifer Murnane O'Connor (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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19. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the strategies to support more women to take up leadership positions across sport; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47922/21]

Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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Addressing women’s participation at all levels in sport is an important element of the Government’s National Sports Policy 2018-2027. The Policy acknowledges the need for action to ensure that more women take up leadership positions in sport including as Board members and CEOs of National Governing Bodies of Sport.

Action 32 of the Government’s National Sports Policy 2018-2027 tasks National Governing Bodies with developing equality action plans and setting gender diversity targets. It commits to supporting dedicated leadership training programmes for women including governance-related and technical training.

Sport Ireland has put a range of supports in place to assist the sporting organisations. For example, a Gender Diversity on Boards Toolkit was developed and launched in January. It is a resource with practical steps and guidelines applicable to the sports sector in Ireland to work towards more gender diverse Boards. Sport Ireland will host a third webinar for the sports sector on November 25th to remind them of the toolkit and how it might be useful in achieving or maintaining gender diversity on their Board.

Improving the gender balance on boards of sporting organisations is a priority for both myself and Minister Martin.

In December 2020, Sport Ireland released a snapshot of board composition figures from across the NGB sector and progress made towards gender balance on boards. This snapshot highlighted that the number of females currently serving on the boards of NGBs has increased to 29%, up from 24% in March 2019. This is good progress but clearly there is work still to be done and Minister Martin and I will continue to engage proactively on this important agenda.