Increasing participation levels among all cohorts is a key objective of the National Sports Policy 2018-2027 and is a core priority for me in my role as Minister for Sport.
The Irish Sports Monitor (ISM) shows that active participation has reached its highest ever level, with 49% of the population now 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.
The Active School Flag (ASF) programme is jointly funded by the Department of Education and Youth (DEY) and the Department of Health through its Healthy Ireland programme. The growth and development of the ASF programme at primary and post-primary level is a key action in the Sports Action Plan 2024-2027, and my Department is represented on the ASF Steering Committee which oversees the implementation of the programme
The aim of the ASF programme is to complement the existing Physical Education curriculum in schools in order to get ‘more schools, more active, more often’. The ASF initiative, which was rolled out to Post Primary Schools in 2025, provides schools with a framework to guide, support and incentivise them to work towards achieving a physically educated and physically active school community.
Sport Ireland has been awarded €11 million from the European Social Fund Programme to implement a social innovation and inclusion programme. This has enabled the establishment of the Sport4Empowerment Programme, resulting in the phased recruitment of Social Innovation in Sport Officers mapped to each of the 29 Local Sport Partnerships (LSPs). Twenty four such officers have been appointed to date, and they will be responsible for implementing a range of targeted programmes which aim to enhance the wellbeing, education, and economic prospects of participants. At-risk youth are among the marginalised cohorts being targeted by the programme, as it aims to provide support, and opportunities to develop life skills, and positive engagement through sport and physical activity.
As Minister for Sport, I will continue to promote sport to all cohorts and work to remove barriers to participation.
