Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 15 December 2021
172. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on Get Ireland Active - the National Physical Activity Plan; the status of the review of the policy; when a successor will be put in place; the process for putting a new policy together; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62016/21]
View answerThe promotion of physical activity has been a priority for my Department in the context of the implementation of Healthy Ireland, A Framework for Improved Health and Wellbeing 2013 – 2025, and, more recently, the Healthy Ireland Strategic Action Plan.
This was evidenced by the publication of Get Ireland Active - the National Physical Activity Plan (NPAP); 2016-2020 (now extended to 2022). The National Sports Policy (NSP) was published by our colleagues in DTCAGSM (then DTTAS), in 2018. The two policies are being implemented in co-ordination, with Healthy Ireland represented on the Sports Leadership Group and DTCAGSM co-chairing the NPAP Implementation Group.
NPAP implementation is overseen by a cross-sectoral Implementation Group co-chaired by the Departments of Health and Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media. The Departments of Education (DE), Children, Equality, Disability, Integration & Youth (DCEDIY), Housing, Local Government & Heritage (DHLGH), and Rural & Community Development (DRCD) are also represented, along with Sport Ireland, the HSE, the Federation of Irish Sport, the Local Government Management Agency (LGMA) and the academic sector. The Sports Leadership Group, chaired by Minister of State for Sport and the Gaeltacht, Jack Chambers T.D., also has cross-sectoral and multi-disciplinary representation.
The NPAP contains 60 actions intended to promote increased physical activity levels across the population, divided into 8 Action Areas. Key initiatives underway include support for the Active School Flag programme, and key initiatives, supported by Healthy Ireland through Sport Ireland, to support walking, running, cycling, swimming, outdoor recreation and collaboration with the research sector through Ireland's Physical Activity Research Collaboration (iPARC).
Implementation of the current Physical Activity Plan was to be reviewed in 2020; however, this was delayed as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. The policy has been extended to end 2022. Work has now begun on the review, with a number of stakeholder consultations held in recent weeks. The findings from these meetings and from the external review will inform the future direction of the next iteration of the NPAP.
Independent expertise, to conduct an impartial review of the progress made in implementation of the Plan, has been sought through a standard procurement process, in collaboration with the Office of Government Procurement. This process is almost complete and it is envisaged that the reviewers will commence work in Q1, 2022.
The external reviewers will develop, finalise and present a draft report to the National Physical Activity Implementation Group, which will include the review of implementation, analysis of policy and research materials and national and international guidelines and stakeholder feedback, and will inform the development of the next phase of the NPAP, including measurable actions. Once complete, the Review Report will be published on the Department's website.
