Skip to main content
Normal View

Child Protection

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 16 November 2021

Tuesday, 16 November 2021

Questions (263, 265)

Mark Ward

Question:

263. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the cost of employing safeguarding officers within Sport Ireland; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55739/21]

View answer

Mark Ward

Question:

265. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the cost of safeguarding and child protection training within Sport Ireland per person per year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55741/21]

View answer

Written answers

I propose to take Questions Nos. 263 and 265 together.

Sport Ireland acts in a guidance and support capacity to over 60 recognised National Governing Bodies of Sport in the area of safeguarding and child protection. This function is led by the Ethics Unit in Sport Ireland where there is a team of people dedicated to the implementation of Sport Ireland’s safeguarding programme.

Sport Ireland’s remit is to develop and disseminate guidelines and codes of practice promoting best practice for the protection of children in sport consistent with child protection legislation.

Sport Ireland does not employ Safeguarding Officers within Sport Ireland. Safeguarding Officers in clubs and organisations are sports leaders and adults who are involved in the organisation of sport for children and young people on a voluntary basis.

The goal of Sport Ireland’s safeguarding programme is to promote awareness of best practice and legal requirements in the area of safeguarding and child protection. To advance this function, Sport Ireland offers three workshops in the area of safeguarding and child protection.

- Safeguarding 1 - Basic Awareness – (all coaches)

- Safeguarding 2 – Club Children Officer (role specific)

- Safeguarding 3 – Designated Liaison Person (role specific)

Sport Ireland does not directly deliver these training workshops. These workshops are delivered by trained safeguarding tutors via the network of 29 Local Sports Partnerships around the country. Some National Governing Bodies of Sport also deliver these workshops directly to their members.

Sport Ireland supports 29 Local Sports Partnerships to co-ordinate and promote the development of sport at local level and increase levels of participation in sport and physical activity. Core investment to the Local Sports Partnerships has been increasing year on year, from €4.9 million in 2014 to €8.2 million in 2020.

This investment supports the core work of the network, including the delivery of national programmes, education and training initiatives, strategic development, Community Sports Development Officers (CSDO), the Sports Inclusion Disability programme, Women in Sport programmes and general participation programmes.

Sport Ireland will continue to develop and invest in its ethics programme to ensure children and young people’s experiences of sport are fun, enjoyable and conducted in the spirit of fair play.

Top
Share