Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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30. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the steps his Department is taking to encourage teenagers to participate in sport. [64567/25]

Naoise Ó Cearúil (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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60. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment to detail his Department’s engagement with Local Sports Partnerships in promoting youth participation in sport; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [64380/25]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 30 and 60 together.

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, disability, socio-economic status, or membership of any minority group.

The Irish Sports Monitor (ISM) 2024 survey indicated that active sports participation has reached its highest ever level with 49% of the population taking part in sport on a weekly basis.

This increase in sports participation is being driven in part by the increasing number of teenagers and young adults in Ireland. This population cohort has the highest sports participation rates of all age groups.

Sport Ireland's network of Local Sports Partnerships (LSPs) plays a crucial role in implementing the National Sports Policy and increasing participation levels in sport and physical activity particularly in underrepresented groups. The LSPs deliver targeted programmes to a range of cohorts, including young persons, women and girls, aimed at increasing sport and physical activity participation levels in their local community.

In 2025, the LSP network received €11,945,000 in core funding and this was supplemented by additional investment from other funding streams, including Dormant Accounts Funding (DAF) and the European Social Fund (ESF+) Programme.

The DAF and ESF+ funding streams are being utilised to fund programmes and initiatives that provide opportunities to participate in sport and physical activity for at risk young persons and those from disadvantaged communities.

Sport Ireland has developed the 'Her Moves' campaign in order to address the high-drop out of teenage girls from sport. The campaign seeks to empower and inspire teenage girls to be active in their own way. A feature of the programmes is the wide ranging and diverse offering with a focus on beginner opportunities and often linked with creative interests to cater for as many teenage girls as possible

LSPs have delivered 'Her Moves' programmes and events to over 4,250 teenage girls in a mix of community, club and school settings. Sport Ireland hosted the first ever Her Moves Festival in May at the National Indoor Arena, with more than 2,000 teenage girls from more than 35 schools in attendance.

.As Minister for Sport, I will continue to promote sport to young people and work to remove any barrier to their participation.