Eoghan Kenny (Cork North-Central, Labour)
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75. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment for an update on the Programme for Government commitment to expand support for para-sports and special needs programmes by providing grants to clubs that demonstrate inclusive policies and facilities as of July 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37964/25]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The Programme for Government sets out an ambitious future for sport in Ireland where equality of access and opportunity is a key theme. Inclusion and diversity is an absolute priority for me in my role as Minister for Sport.

Increased funding secured for sport in Budget 2025 enabled Sport Ireland to appoint a Disability in Sport Lead in February of this year. The creation of the post delivered on an action set out in both the Sport Action Plan 2024-2027 and the Sport Ireland Statement and Commitment to Action in Disability Sport. This was in turn reflected in the Programme for Government.

The role has the potential to be transformational and the Disability in Sport Lead will work with National Government Bodies (NGBs), Local Sports Partnerships and other sporting bodies to develop and promote the inclusion of people with disabilities in sport.

Sport Ireland has allocated an additional €2.4 million for supporting disability sport focused NGBs to continue their work in this area. This investment will help ensure that anyone with a disability, at any level, grassroots and above, can avail of their absolute right to enjoy and reap the benefits of sport and physical activity.

Under the Community Sports Facilities Fund (CSFF), all projects must be accessible to people with disabilities and capital projects must conform to the 7 principles of universal design www.universaldesign.ie.

All gym equipment funded by CSFF must be accessible to people with disabilities. The department has written a guide to accessible gym equipment - Guide to Accessible Gym Equipment

Furthermore, all CSFF grantees must sign a declaration stating that they agree that, from the date of the grant, they will not deny anybody access to any facility or part of a facility for which they receive a grant on the grounds of gender, civil status, family status, age, disability, race, sexual orientation, religious belief, or membership of the Traveller or Roma community without just, reasonable and proper cause