Sport Ireland has revealed the results of its Irish Sports Monitor 2024 survey, which shows that active sports participation has reached its highest-ever level – with 49% of the population taking part in sport weekly in 2024, up from 47% in 2023.
This increase in sports participation is buoyed by the increasing number of teenagers and young adults in Ireland, who have the highest sports participation rates of all age groups.
The rise in active sports participation means Ireland is on track to hit the 50% target in the National Sports Policy 2018 – 2027.
The report also found that the growth in active sports participation rates is happening equally among men and women, resulting in a 3-percentage point difference in male and female sports participation rates in 2024, the same as in 2023.
Top Sports
Swimming, Running and Cycling have maintained their top three spots behind Personal Fitness in the activities undertaken.
Recreational walking makes a significant contribution to the health and wellbeing of the nation, especially among older populations, and the ISM showed that it has increased to 70%, up from 69% in 2023.
The ISM also showed increases in social sports participation, club membership, now at 36 percent, and volunteering, back to pre-pandemic levels at 12 percent.
Weekly event attendance figures remained stable at 20 per cent, which is one of the highest numbers in Europe.
However, the ISM also showed that more work needs to be done in certain areas.
Disability Work Needed
Active sports participation for people with disabilities is not growing at the same rate as that for people without disabilities, and the disability gradient has increased to 22 percentage points, up from 20 percentage points in 2023.
Despite significant investment in sport for people with disabilities, the disability gradient in Ireland is increasing due to the growing number of older people with disabilities and the need for extensive partnerships and investments beyond the capacity of sport alone to address this issue.
Sport Ireland has already acted in this area, launching a Statement of Commitment and Action to advance and promote the inclusion of people with a disability in sport, and recruiting a Disability Lead, Ger McTavish.
Another finding from the report is that the difference in active sports participation rates of those aged over 35 with those aged under 35 has increased to 26 percentage points, up from 24 percentage points in 2024.
Socio-Economic Gradient Increasing
The difference in active sports participation rates between the ABC1 and C2DE social classes, is the same as 2023 at 19 percentage points.
This gap can only be reduced through work with communities experiencing socio-economic disadvantage. The network of Local Sports Partnerships is particularly well placed to work in this area and will continue to seek to engage teenagers, ethnic minorities, older people and people with disabilities.
Other measures, such as the ESF+ Sport4Empowerment programme, which aims to enhance the wellbeing, education and economic prospects of people at risk of social exclusion, and Dormant Accounts funding are being deployed to work in this area.
Reactions
“The annual launch of the Irish Sports Monitor by Sport Ireland since its inception in 2007 is an important event in the sporting calendar,” said Minister of State for Sport and Postal Policy, Charlie McConalogue.
“It provides a snapshot of our progress, allowing us to identify progress and areas for further analysis and development.”
“The data gathered by Sport Ireland is an essential tool that provides an evidence base for the policy decisions that are made by Government to improve the take up of sport in Ireland.”
“It is great to see in this year’s ISM that active sports participation has reached its highest level ever in line with Government’s vision of increasing participation for sport and physical activity for the people of Ireland.”
“The growth in active sports participation is very welcome,” added Dr Una May, Sport Ireland CEO.
“The latest figures are on track with Sport Ireland projections. The expectation is that we should reach and possibly slightly exceed 50% by 2027.”
“A lot of credit has to go to the Government, the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, our national governing bodies, and local sports partnerships, clubs, coaches, officials, volunteers, and participants for their commitment to promoting sport in all its forms.”
“These numbers show significant recovery from pandemic levels of participation, and we are going to continue to work hard to keep developing sport in Ireland,” said Benny Cullen, Director of Research and Innovation at Sport Ireland.
“I want to thank all those who helped produce this important report, including our research colleagues in IPSOS B&A.
“The ISM report is a wide-ranging piece of research; we hope that it can stimulate debate and discussion about how we can promote sport participation and physical activity in society. While much work remains to be done it is pleasing to see growth in several areas.”
“The 2024 Sports Monitor presents positive numbers on participation and volunteering,” concluded John Foley, Sport Ireland Chair.
“Continuing to grow participation across all sectors of society is a major priority and we look forward to working with all our stakeholders in the achievement of our goals.”
Further Reading for Sport for Business members: Understanding the Why Behind Physical Literacy
SPORT FOR BUSINESS PERSPECTIVE
This report is 20 pages worth of golden nuggets. Essential reading for anyone involved in the provision of sport who wants to know where we are and where we need to get to.
WHAT’S UP NEXT?
Benny Cullen will be our guest on the Sport for Business Podcast next week. Our twice-daily news bulletins land Monday to Friday, 50 weeks of the year.
MEMBERSHIP AND EVENTS
Sport Ireland and the Department of Arts, Media, Culture, Communications and Sport are among the 300+ members of the Sport for Business Community. Our community brings together leaders in sport and business and spotlights their work.
The Sport for Business Membership comprises over 300 organisations, including all the leading sports and sponsors, as well as commercial and state agencies.
