Malcolm Byrne (Wicklow-Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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61. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment to provide an update on the national swimming strategy. [64151/25]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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Ireland’s first National Swimming Strategy sets out a vision to provide everyone in our country with an opportunity to swim. It includes an Action Plan containing over 50 actions across five thematic strands, focusing on providing improved facilities, increasing access for people with disabilities, improving the culture of inclusion, better coaching supports, increasing safety awareness and providing a pathway that allows for the nurturing and development of potential high performers.

The public consultation that informed the development of the Strategy suggested that existing swimming pool stock is insufficient and, as a result, a key focus of the Strategy is on providing improved facilities. There is a specific action in the strategy to complete an in-depth analysis of swimming pool provision within Ireland with particular reference to identifying gaps in provision. Swim Ireland, the National Governing Body for swimming, is currently undertaking an analysis of the type and nature of swimming pool ownership in the country and will publish a report in this regard in the coming period. This report will be central to the future development of swimming pool facilities.

In support of the National Swimming Strategy, additional funding of €500,000 was provided to Swim Ireland in 2024 for the deployment of swimming activators to work within local authority areas, focusing on increasing participation amongst under-represented groups and improving coaching supports and facilities. This additional funding will also be provided in 2025 and 2026 – totalling €1.5 million over three years.

Funded under the Healthy Ireland Initiative, and administered by Sport Ireland, the Outdoor Swimming Infrastructure Fund recently allocated €330,000 to 17 separate outdoor swimming facilities nationwide. The funding will make these approved swimming locations more accessible by supporting the provision and upgrade of handrails, swim shelters, access ladders, safety notice boards, shower facilities, and beach wheelchairs. Details of these allocations are available on the Government’s website on the following link: www.gov.ie/en/department-of-health/press-releases/minister-for-public-health-wellbeing-and-national-drugs-strategy-jennifer-murnane-oconnor-announces-successful-applicants-for-330000-outdoor-swimming-fund/.

My Department continues to provide capital funding support for new and existing swimming pools through the Large Scale Sport Infrastructure Fund and the Community Sports Facilities Fund. I encourage prospective applicants to review the guidelines of both schemes, as part of their preparatory process for future rounds.

Responsibility for the delivery of the National Swimming Strategy’s Action Plan is shared across Government Departments, State Agencies and other key stakeholders, including local authorities. Earlier this year, Sport Ireland established an oversight group of key stakeholders to give leadership, policy direction, prioritisation and mobilisation of resources to support, monitor and measure the Strategy’s implementation, which will, I am sure, strengthen and support the sustainable growth and development of swimming in Ireland for years to come.

Emer Currie (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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62. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the actions his Department is taking to increase female participation in all sports from grassroots to elite levels; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [64631/25]

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 the 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. 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.

This year Sport Ireland announced an investment of €4 million under the WIS Programme for 2025. This is vital funding to support sporting bodies, and my Department will continue to support programmes 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 is now less than 3%.

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