Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 9 February 2010
391 Deputy Seán Fleming asked the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the position regarding funding for the continued employment of sports inclusion disability officers by sports partnerships in 2010; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6771/10]
View answerAs I have previously informed the House, special funding of €2.5 million was allocated from the dormant accounts fund for the appointment of Sports Inclusion Development Officers (SIDOs) in 20 Local Sports Partnerships (LSPs) in 2008. The SIDOs were appointed on two-year contracts to provide opportunities for persons with a disability to participate in sport and physical activity.
A network of 33 LSPs have been set up throughout the country by the Irish Sports Council (ISC) to coordinate and promote sport at local level especially amongst specific target groups such as older people, girls and women, people with disabilities, unemployed people, and those who live in identified disadvantaged communities. The special dormant accounts funding was in addition to the annual funding provided to the LSPs by the ISC for programmes and initiatives aimed at increasing participation in recreational sport. Of the €2.5 million allocated from the dormant accounts fund for the SIDO scheme, €800,000 was provided through my Department's Vote in 2008 and over €1.3 million in 2009. The final provision of €395,000 from the dormant accounts allocation is included in the 2010 Vote of my Department. The continued funding of the SIDO scheme is being considered by the ISC in the context of the distribution of its budget for 2010.
