Minister Ring Launches Speak Report On Local Sports Partnerships For 2011

• 55% of funding of Local Sport Partnerships raised locally
• More than 200,000 people participated in locally delivered sports programmes
• 380,000 children given access to Buntْs since programme initiated in 2002
• LSPS provided responses to 158,000 specific requests for information on sport

The impact of the national network of Local Sports Partnerships in 2011 in creating a local infrastructure for sport was detailed in a new report launched today (May 23). The 31 Sports Partnerships are having a positive impact on hundreds of thousands of people through the delivery of direct programmes, support to local sports organisations.

In 2011, 202,458 people participated in 998 sports programmes delivered locally by the Sports Partnerships. This number includes 43,872 people who took part in the 316 programmes which were delivered for the first time in 2011.

An additional responsibility of the Sports Partnerships is the delivery for the Buntْs range of sport programmes which introduce children to sport. Since the initiative started in 2002 more than 380,000 children have been provided access to Buntْs which aims to give every child a quality introduction to a sport that is suitable to abilities. In 2011, 105 schools received training in Buntْs and 466 childcare centres received Buntْs Start training.

SPEAK 2011, the fifth annual evaluation of the national network of Local Sports Partnerships, was launched in Athy, Co Kildare by the Minister of State for Sport Mr. Michael Ring T.D. He was joined by Niall Quinn, the Chairman of Kildare Sports Partnership and John Treacy, CEO of the Irish Sports Council.

Also, in attendance were trainees from the Community Sports Leaders programme operated by Kildare Sports Partnership which is giving local unemployed people an opportunity to become trained as sports coaches and leaders.

Minister Ring stated: "The SPEAK Report is very welcome as it outlines the impact of the Local Sports Partnerships. It provides clear indicators of their work and demonstrates the positive impact of the Partnerships especially on target groups who are often excluded from sport. I would like to thank all of those in the Local Sports Partnerships and sports organisations who are working to increase the levels of participation in sport and physical activity and I would encourage people to become involved in sport events in their local areas so that they can enjoy the health and social benefits that come from sport and physical activity."

The Sports Partnerships were created by the Irish Sports Council in 2000 to provide opportunities in sport for target groups which face barriers to sport. In 2010 there were increases in the number of locally delivered programmes and training opportunities for children & young people, people with a disability and women.
Funding from the Irish Sports Council accounts for 44.6% of the total LSP funding in 2011, the remaining 55.4% is raised from other sources this meets the recommendation from the Fitzpatrick Report of 2005. Over €12.7m was invested in the network in 2011 including Monetary Funding leveraged locally of €3,878,458 and Benefit-in-kind (BIK) of €3,167,060. Irish Sports Council funding to the LSP network reduced by over €428,000 or 7% from €6.11m in 2010 to €5.68m in 2011 reflecting the reduction of €2.6m in the Council's own budget.

John Treacy, Chief Executive of the Irish Sports Council attended at the launch and commented; "The one development that I have noticed in 2011 is the greater awareness of the work of the LSPs. The governing bodies are reporting to me a much greater level of collaboration with Sports Partnership which is what we had always planned and hoped for. The focus of the national network is on increasing participation and the SPEAK Report demonstrates real and measurable success in that regard".

For an electronic copy of the full report email media@irishsportscouncil.ie