New Sports Action Plan published by Minister Thomas Byrne
• New Plan designed to progress the National Sports Policy
• Enhanced focus on disability in sport, local sports plans, the volunteer sector and narrowing the gender participation gap
• Publication follows landmark Budget 2025 which doubled sports funding compared to 2018 levels two years ahead of schedule
Today (6 November 2024), the Minister of State for Sport, Physical Education and the Gaeltacht, Thomas Byrne TD, published the Sports Action Plan 2024-2027.
The new Plan has been published with the aim of ensuring the continued development and success of Irish sport. 47 specific initiatives are set out under the Plan with the intention of further advancing the National Sports Policy, which was published in 2018, and concludes in 2027.
The National Sports Policy committed the Government to doubling funding in sport to more than €220 million by 2027, compared to 2018 levels, but this target has been reached two years ahead of schedule, with Budget 2025 having allocated over €230 million for sport.
The new Sports Action Plan continues the strong focus of the Government on boosting participation levels in sport and physical activity and it also includes a number of new specific actions that focus on other important priorities.
The ongoing necessity to address enduring challenges for youth and disability participation in sport is a prominent feature of the new Plan. In addition, there is a stronger focus on sectoral and environmental sustainability.
Some highlights of the new Sports Action Plan include:
· Supporting the roll-out of Local Sports Plans in each Local Authority.
· Developing the Volunteering in Sport sector.
· Appointment of a Disability in Sport Lead by Sport Ireland.
· Reviewing disability sport funding and approach.
· Researching scope to introduce design improvements in sports facilities to meet the specific needs of women and girls in sport.
· Improving the linkage between sporting bodies and schools and maximising community access to sports facilities in schools.
· Support development of camogie and hurling in accordance with its special cultural designation by UNESCO.
The plan was developed by the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport, Gaeltacht and Media with the assistance of Sport Ireland and a Sports Leadership Group, which is convened by the Department and chaired by Minister Byrne.
Launching the plan, Minister Thomas Byrne said:
“The publication of the new Sports Action Plan underlines the commitment and determination of the government to increase our participation levels in sport and physical activity. In order to meet our ambitious participation targets, we need to promote a ‘Sport for All’ approach and the publication of this new plan is one way in which we are working to tackle the participation gap where it exists, such as among people with a disability.
The new Sports Action Plan advances the significant progress made to date under the National Sports Policy when it comes to increasing our participation levels, developing high performance sport in Ireland and in improving the governance and capacity of the sport sector. Budget 2025 also represented a landmark moment for Irish sport when funding for sport was more than doubled compared to 2018 levels, which meant that a key priority under the National Sports Policy was met, two years ahead of schedule.”
Minister Byrne added:
“In my dual role as Minister of State for Sport and Physical Education, I recognise how important it is to get people involved in sport from a young age and fundamentally, to find ways to encourage them to stay involved throughout their life.
The new Sports Action Plan includes a strong focus on developing the link between sport and education, involving a series of actions to support such initiatives, as the Active School Flag programme, as well endeavouring to maximise community access to sports facilities in schools.”
ENDS
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**íomhá ar fáil anseo**
6 Samhain 2024
Foilsíonn an tAire Thomas Byrne Plean Gnímh Spóirt
• Dearsadh plean nua chun an Beartas Náisiúnta Spóirt a chur chun cinn
• Béim níos láidre ar mhíchumas sa spórt, pleananna áitiúla spóirt, an earnáil dheonach agus an bhearna rannpháirtíochta inscne a laghdú
• Leanann an foilsiú Buiséad suntasach 2025 ina ndearnadh an maoiniú spóirt a dhúbailt i gcomparáid le leibhéil 2018 dhá bhliain roimh an sprioc
Inniu (6 Samhain 2024), d’fhoilsigh an tAire Stáit don Spórt, don Chorpoideachas agus don Ghaeltacht, Thomas Byrne TD, an Plean Gnímh Spóirt 2024-2027.
Foilsíodh an Plean nua agus é mar aidhm aige forbairt leanúnach agus rathúlacht spórt na hÉireann a chinntiú. Leagadh 47 tionscnamh ar leith amach faoin bPlean agus é mar aidhm acu an Beartas Náisiúnta Spóirt, a foilsíodh in 2018, a chur chun cinn tuilleadh agus cuirfear deireadh leis in 2027.
Rinne an Rialtas gealltanas sa Bheartas Náisiúnta Spóirt maoiniú spóirt a dhúbailt go dtí níos mó ná €220 milliún faoi 2027 i gcomparáid le leibhéil 2018 ach tá an sprioc seo bainte amach dhá bhliain níos luaithe ná mar a bhí beartaithe. Leithdháileadh €230 milliun don spórt i mBuiséad 2025.
Leanann an Plean Gnímh Spóirt nua de bhéim láidir an Rialtais ar leibhéil rannpháirtíochta sa spórt agus sa ghníomhaíocht choirp a mhéadú agus áirítear ann freisin roinnt gníomhaíochtaí sonracha nua a dhíríonn ar thosaíochtaí tábhachtacha eile.
Gné shuntasach den Phlean nua is ea an riachtanas leanúnach atá ann aghaidh a thabhairt ar dhúshláin bhuanacha do rannpháirtíocht na hóige agus daoine faoi mhíchumas sa spórt. Ina theannta sin, tá fócas níos láidre ar inbhuanaitheacht earnála agus comhshaoil.
Seo a leanas roinnt buaicphointí ón bPlean Gnímh Nua Spóirt:
· Tacú le rolladh amach na bPleananna Spóirt Áitiúla i ngach Údarás Áitiúil.
· An earnáil dheonach sa Spórt a fhorbairt.
· Ceapachán Ceannaire um Dhaoine faoi Mhíchumas sa Spórt faoi cheannas Spórt Éireann.
· Athbhreithniú a dhéanamh ar mhaoiniú agus ar chur chuige spórt míchumais.
· Taighde a dhéanamh ar an scóip chun feabhsuithe dearaidh a thabhairt isteach in áiseanna spóirt chun freastal ar riachtanais na mban agus na gcailíní sa spórt.
· An nasc idir comhlachtaí spóirt agus scoileanna a fheabhsú agus rochtain an phobail ar áiseanna spóirt i scoileanna a uasmhéadú.
· Tacú le forbairt na camógaíochta agus na hiomána de réir a sainithe cultúrtha speisialta ag UNESCO.
D’fhorbair an Roinn Turasóireachta, Cultúir, Ealaíon, Gaeltachta, Spóirt agus Meán an plean le cúnamh ó Spórt Éireann agus Grúpa Ceannaireachta Spóirt, a thionólann an Roinn agus a bhfuil an tAire Byrne ina chathaoirleach air.
Ag seoladh an phlean, dúirt an tAire Thomas Byrne:
“Léiríonn foilsiú an Phlean Gnímh Spóirt nua tiomantas agus diongbháilteacht an rialtais chun ár leibhéil rannpháirtíochta sa spórt agus san aclaíocht a mhéadú. D’fhonn ár spriocanna rannpháirtíochta uaillmhianacha a bhaint amach, ní mór dúinn cur chuige ‘Spóirt do Chách’ a chur chun cinn agus is bealach amháin é foilsiú an phlean nua seo ar a bhfuilimid ag obair chun dul i ngleic leis an mbearna rannpháirtíochta san áit a bhfuil sí, mar shampla i measc daoine faoi mhíchumas.
Cuireann an Plean Gnímh Spóirt nua chun cinn an dul chun cinn suntasach atá déanta go dtí seo faoin mBeartas Náisiúnta Spóirt maidir lenár leibhéil rannpháirtíochta a mhéadú, spórt ardfheidhmíochta a fhorbairt in Éirinn agus feabhas a chur ar rialachas agus cumas na hearnála spóirt. Ba mhór an suntas é Buiséad 2025 freisin do spórt na hÉireann nuair a tháinig méadú faoi dhó ar mhaoiniú don spórt i gcomparáid le leibhéil 2018, rud a chiallaigh gur baineadh amach príomhthosaíocht faoin mBeartas Náisiúnta Spóirt, dhá bhliain roimh an sprioc.”
Dúirt an tAire Byrne chomh maith:
“Sa ról dúbailte atá agam mar Aire Stáit Spóirt agus Corpoideachais, aithním a thábhachtaí is atá sé daoine a bheith páirteach sa spórt ó aois óg agus go bunúsach, bealaí a aimsiú chun iad a spreagadh le bheith páirteach ar feadh a saoil.
Áiríonn an Plean Gnímh Spóirt nua fócas láidir ar an nasc idir spórt agus oideachas a fhorbairt, lena n-áirítear sraith gníomhartha chun tacú le tionscnaimh den sórt sin, mar chlár Brat na Scoile Gníomhaí, chomh maith le hiarracht a dhéanamh chun rochtain phobail ar áiseanna spóirt i scoileanna a uasmhéadú.”