It will be a start to the new year that is dominated utterly by politics. There will be calls made and promises sworn as to what can and will be done by a newly pressed or refreshed Government and sport needs to make sure that its voice is heard.
The Federation of Irish Sport used the launch of its Annual Review in Dublin last night to do just that with three key messages laid down as a challenge to those who wish to lead our country for the next five years.
The first is in education with a cal for a mandatory two hours per week of physical education in secondary schools and one hour in primary schools.
We would go further and urge the adoption of physical education and sport as an integral part of a life science module to replace the engineered gap between PE as is at present and biology. If we can teach how the human body works in a classroom and translate that directly to how it performs in a hall or on a pitch then we will better prepare our young people for the reality of the impact alcohol, nutrition and drugs have on us.
The second call is for tax reliefs be put in place that extend the relief currently available on capital spending to current spending, and for funding of sport to be returned to the levels of 2008 by 2021.
In a nation of only four million there is a limit to how much money can be raised through taxation. there will always be compelling calls for health, education and infrastructure to be prioritised first.
Sport needs to establish and relentlessly pursue its recognition as a capital investment in the future health and wellbeing of the individuals that make up the nation. We need to get the balance right between raising everyone’s level of activity and supporting those who do so at the highest level to inspire us.
As sure as night follows day there will be a financial analysis done of Ireland’s performance at the Rio Olympics and a cost per medal figure which will be used by advocates of other spending as a stick to beat spending on sport as being elitist and of only passing benefit. It is and needs to be seen as anything but.
Wellbeing
Sport and wellbeing need to be seen as essential to the human infrastructure of the nation as roads are to the transport and education is to the workplace landscape. By making the nation healthier we will create so many benefits that might be longer in delivery than the lifetime of a single Government but are perhaps more important than ever precisely because of that.
The third call is for the immediate establishment of a sports bidding agency which will bring international sporting events to Ireland.
Sport for Business has established a Sport Tourism Group from within our membership that is working towards a better understanding of how sporting bodies, promoters, the travel sector and state agencies can work closer together.
Our latest meeting included representatives from the GAA, Dublin City Council, Etihad Airways, the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport and the organising teams behind the College Football Classic, the Rock ‘n Roll Half Marathon and many more events.
Benefit
The work in that area will produce clear and easily seen benefit for Ireland and will continue as an urgent priority.
“Imagine what we could do if we were to build on the fantastic grassroots support for sport in our local communities,” said Bernard Brogan, President of the Federation of Irish Sport speaking at the launch.
“We know that only 35 per cent of primary schools and just 10 per cent of our secondary schools are receiving the recommended 60 and 120 minutes of PE respectively each week.”
“Of course, as adults too, we have a real challenge, with only a third of us getting the recommended 30 minutes’ exercise five days a week.”
Chance
“Sport needs to be supported, nurtured and grown and that is why it is incumbent on Government to step up to the plate and do what it can to ensure participation and that our young people and adults get the sporting chance that they deserve.”
James Galvin, CEO of the Federation of Irish Sport, pointed to some of the very tangible benefits afforded by Irish sport, while also emphasising how sport can give so much more:
“The figures are there for all to see. 40,000 jobs sustained by sport3. €1.9 billion in household spending on sport4. Over €1 billion in tourism spending on sport5. Half a million people volunteering their time to sport6. Plus, it’s estimated that by participating regularly in sport, we are 14 years’ younger in health terms7 – now, who could argue with that?
“After years of steep declines in funding since 2008, there was a very welcome €3m increase in funding to Sport Ireland in Budget 2016,” added CEO James Galvin.
“We now have a golden opportunity for sport to make a real difference to the life of our nation, but only if we grasp it.”
Success
“There have been a number of recent successes in securing international sporting events for Ireland, such as the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2017 and the IPC World Swimming Championships 2018.”
“Think of what we could do if we were to establish a sports event bidding agency as has been done in Denmark where they now win four out of every five sports bids. We could be real contenders in bringing illustrious international events home to Ireland, such as the 2023 Rugby World Cup.”
“A new National Sports Policy is in the early stages of development. This presents a real opportunity for government to put in place a strategy that allows sport to maximise its potential both on and off the pitch.”
“For sport to really deliver in terms of our health, our society and our economy, we can’t sit on the sidelines and yell at the referee. We all have to play our part on the field and make it happen.”
Image Credit: Inpho.ie
