Peter Cleere (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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724. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the steps his Department is taking in actively trying to increase participation in sport, particular among females; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30491/25]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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Female participation in sport is an important element of both the National Sports Policy 2018-2027 and its associated Sports Action Plan 2024-2027 and represents a core priority for me and my Department.

This Government is committed to a "Sport for All" approach aimed at ensuring that all persons can partake equally in sport and physical activity, regardless of gender, age, social-economic status, disability, or membership of minority groups such as the LGBTI+ community, the Traveller community or other ethnic minorities. This commitment is reaffirmed in the Programme for Government and is also reflected in Sport Ireland's Women in Sport Policy.

The Women in Sport (WIS) funding programme, administered by Sport Ireland, was first established in 2005 and since then over €30 million has been invested through the National Governing Bodies of Sport and the local Sports Partnerships. Since 2021, funding of €8.7 million has been allocated to the WIS programme and, in 2024 alone, Sport Ireland’s budget for WIS was increased significantly to €4 million. The 2025 funding allocation for WIS will be announced very soon. This is vital funding to support sporting bodies, and my Department will continue to support all bodies putting programmes in place to increase women’s participation in all sports and to progress strategic objectives for women in sport across all areas including active participation, coaching, officiating and leadership.

The Irish Sports Monitor (ISM) Report for 2024, shows that sport participation levels among women is at 47%, an increase of one percentage point since 2023, and the gender gap in participation is now just under 3%.

As Minister for Sport I will continue to tackle issues to ensure that women’s sport reaches parity with its male counterparts and that females do not drop out of sport due to a lack of adequate training facilities or access to opportunities.

My Department will work closely with Sport Ireland to close the gender participation gap in sport and to enhance all aspects of female involvement and participation across the sport sector.