The FAI have felt some highs and lows over recent days with Thursday night’s home win over Germany revealing again the potential for a tidal wave of support once results go the right way but disappointment following in Poland last night when defeat meant we were destined for a two leg play-off to see if the Euro 2016 finals should be marked off in our calendars for next June.
Regardless of the results though soccer in Ireland is a much bigger animal that one group of senior professionals. Prior to the game at the Aviva Stadium on Thursday the Association hosted a day long Stakeholders Conference which covered how the sport can best engage with those involved as health and wellness professionals, local authorities, education bodies and other partners in the wider game.
There were not one, not two but three Government Ministers in attendance with Minister of State for Sport Michael Ring addressing the audience on Government investment in sport and praising the way that soccer was putting that money to good use.
“This is particularly so in the case of those within society who can be hardest to reach, those on lower income and who have attained a lower education threshold,” said Ring.
“We have had a strong policy focus on participation and soccer is assisting in that through a strong team of development officers making good use of community based facilities to encourage people into the sport.”
The FAI revealed that it has 59 development officers on the ground throughout the country with nine of those fully funded by the association, 7 involved in third level institutions and 43 co-funded by local authorities. A number of new partnerships were confirmed on the day including with Meath County Council.
Minister for Health Leo Varadkar delivered an address outlining how the Healthy Ireland initiative was progressing and how organisations on the ground like the FAI were critical to its success. He explained how he was waiting on a number of Government departments to step up in confirming their own management and funding obligations so that the plan would have real bite when it was fully published, hopefully in the very near future.
There were presentations and workshops on how sport can be a powerful force for good in helping people overcome challenges including mental health with a simple but very effective case study on a Back of the Net programme where counselling was delivered to groups of men through the language and the game of five a side football over a ten week period with very strong positive impact.
Niamh O’Donoghue and Sue Ronan spoke about the strong steps forward in the development of the Women’s game and Minister of State Aodhan O’Riordan was present as well to talk about his Department’s co promoted Conference at the end of the month on Women’s sport in general and how it can be used to further genuine equality.
“We want to use football to tackle social issues'” said FAI CEO John Delaney bringing the event to a close before heading out to see Ireland beat Germany.
“It is through partnerships with organisations that share a common purpose of delivering for people in their communities that we can go further than on our own and that is why today is important in setting out what we have achieved and what more we can do with you in the future.”
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