Brian Leddin (Limerick City, Green Party)
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34. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the status of progress on mandating Sport Ireland to develop a programme of interventions to boost participation levels among persons with disabilities, as committed to in the programme for Government; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10336/22]

Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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Increased participation in sport is a key objective of my Department. Central to the pursuit of that objective is the application of a Sport for All approach that is aimed at ensuring that all persons have the opportunity to partake equally in sport and physical activity, regardless of age, social-economic status, disability, or membership of, for example, the LGBTI+ community, the Traveller community or other ethnic minorities. Increasing participation amongst these groups is a core objective of the National Sports Policy 2018-2027. 

At the end of November 2021, I launched a new Sports Action Plan covering the period up to the end of 2023 and this includes a series of actions and initiatives aimed at increasing participation levels across the board. The plan's emphasis is heavily orientated towards increasing inclusion, diversity and equality in sport. 

That plan contains a specific commitment to establish an Inclusion, Diversity and Equality Fund to promote increased and sustainable participation in sport among children, adolescents and young adults, those from lower socio-economic groups, persons with a disability, the LGBTI+ community, the Traveller community and other ethnic minorities. It further commits that this fund will apply the Sport for All ethos.Work is underway to embed the Sport for All approach in funding drawn down from the Dormant Accounts funds that are specifically aimed at increasing participation levels amongst disadvantaged communities and people with a disability. Forthcoming rounds of funding will place further emphasis on the Sport for All approach. The total amount of funding being allocated from the Dormant Accounts funding for such projects this year is €12 million, more than twice the amount available a number of years ago and representing a 20% increase on last year's provision. 

In addition to this over-arching emphasis on the Sport for All approach, the Sports Action Plan also provides for an annual Winter Initiative, which is a rolling programme of activities and initiatives that aims to get people back to sport and increase participation in the aftermath of COVID-19. The programme has run successfully over the past few months, with a wide range of activities taking place throughout the sports sector and includes measures to boost participation levels among persons with disabilities. The Winter Initiative programme has provided National Governing Bodies of Sport with a perfect platform to launch their Autumn and Winter Programmes and will continue up to the end of March.

I am pleased to advise the Deputy that at the last count there were over 700 events occurring under the Winter Initiative. 66 National Governing Bodies of Sport are participating, as are all 29 Local Sports Partnerships. Details on the events that are taking place can be found on the website of Sport Ireland, and through the respective organisations running the events. It is my intention that a similar programme will be run next Winter and to that end my Department and Sport Ireland will commence planning in that regard in the coming months.

I would also like to emphasise the important contribution that Sport Ireland makes in this area. Sport Ireland, which is funded by my Department, is the statutory body with responsibility for the development of sport, increasing participation at all levels and raising standards. 

In May 2021, Sport Ireland published its Participation Plan 2021-2024– Increasing Participation in Changing Ireland. The Participation Plan outlines how Sport Ireland will continue to help people get active by removing barriers to participation in sport and physical activity in the coming years. The Sport Ireland Participation Plan actions will be delivered through Local Sports Partnerships, National Governing Bodies, strategic partners, clubs, communities and individuals.

The Sport Ireland Participation Plan is built on, and guided by, the National Sports Policy 2018-2027 (NSP) and the Sport Ireland Strategy 2018-2022. The Participation Plan takes into consideration Healthy Ireland – A Framework for Improved Health and Wellbeing 2013–2025 and the National Physical Activity Plan as well as global and national developments. 

The Deputy may also wish to note that Sport Ireland is in the process of developing a specific Diversity and Inclusion policy which is expected to be launched in the coming weeks.