The inaugural Forum on Physical Education will take place today at the Aviva Stadium, Dublin.

The Forum brings together stakeholders from across the area of physical education, including teachers, school leaders, students, academics and policymakers, to examine how physical activity can be brought into classroom learning.

We will feature the outcomes of the Forum at our Sport for Business Children and Sport event in Dublin on May 17th.

Tánaiste Micheál Martin TD will provide the keynote address at the Forum and it will include three panel discussions with experts in the areas of Physical Education, sport and physical activity, including:

  • Jason Smyth, Irish Paralympian and Strategy Manager at Paralympics Ireland;
  • Professor Catherine Woods, Director of the Physical Activity for Health Research Centre at University College Limerick;
  • Michael Darragh Macauley, Community Sport & Wellbeing Co-Ordinator at North East Inner City, primary school teacher and former Dublin footballer;
  • Karen Cotter, National Coordinator of the Active School Flag Programme;
  • Dalton Tattan, Assistant Secretary General at the Department of Education;
  • Sarah O’Brien, Head of HSE Healthy Eating and Active Living Programme;
  • Dr Wesley O’Brien, Senior Lecturer in Physical Education and Coaching Science at University College Cork;
  • Brenda O’Donnell, CEO of Active Disability Ireland;
  • Shari Irfan, President of the Irish Second-Level Students’ Union,
  • Benny Cullen, Director of Research and Innovation at Sport Ireland and
  • Dr Joao Costa, Lecturer in Sport Pedagogy at University College Cork

The MC of the Forum is RTÉ Sports Presenter, Jacqui Hurley. Following the conclusion of the Forum, a report will be published on its findings.

The session will be officially opened by the Minister of State for Sport and Physical; Education, and is a positive to come from the bringing together of those two areas of Government.

“I am very proud to launch the inaugural Forum on Physical Education today. I warmly welcome the keynote address by Tánaiste Micheál Martin TD which underlines the strong commitment of the Government to physical education,” he said.

“The Forum brings together students, teachers, education experts, and interested stakeholders from across Ireland in the interests of sharing best practice and laying out our ambitions for the future. It is so important to equip our young people with the skills they need to be physically active throughout their lives.”

“By bringing movement into the classroom, we can help to develop lifelong engagement in physical activity. Through our Forum today, we will explore what is already being done in communities throughout the country and what more can be done to bring ‘Education on the Move’ to life in our classrooms and increase levels of physical activity for all.”

“I’m delighted to attend today’s inaugural Forum on Physical Education alongside Minister of State for Sport, Thomas Byrne.,” added Tánaiste Micheál Martin.

“Both education and sport have been lifelong passions of mine and I believe, as a society, our emphasis has to be on every child having access to, and being involved, in physical activity.”

“This Forum provides us with a great opportunity to look at the positive work being done across the education system to get children involved in physical exercise, and to consider what more we can do to encourage greater participation.”

 

Sport for Business Perspective:

The numbers of children who drop out of sport in the transition from Primary to secondary education are shocking.  It is a global problem as opposed to an Irish one but we can lead the way in developing initiatives, pathways and programmes that will change it and create lifelong better health.

Businesses are interested as well.  Allianz is partnering on our Children and Sport event and is pushing hard to “Stop the Drop”.

As part of the event next month, we will be publishing details of 24 initiatives on the island of Ireland, across multiple sports and cohorts that are looking to address the issue.

 

The Department of Tourism, Culture, ASrts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media are a full member of the Sport for Business community.

The Sport for Business Membership comprises nearly 300 organisations including all the leading sports and sponsors, commercial and state agencies. 

Be part of the biggest community of sporting and business organisations in Ireland by becoming a member of Sport for Business and enjoying a host of benefits.

Find out more about joining us today.

 

Get ready to join us for some of these forthcoming events…