Joe Flaherty
Question:11. Deputy Joe Flaherty asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the status of a shared island approach to sport; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10436/22]
View answerThursday, 24 February 2022
Questions (11)
Oral answers (7 contributions)
Our shared island initiative aims to harness the full potential of the Good Friday Agreement, to enhance co-operation, connection and mutual understanding on the island and engage with all communities and traditions as we seek to build consensus around the shared future. Sport will play a large part in all this. Will the Minister update the House on the shared island approach to sport?
I am pleased to inform the Deputy that there will be a shared island dialogue on sport this afternoon. It will be the ninth event in the shared island dialogue series that was launched by the Taoiseach in October 2020. This event is being held in the Sport Ireland national sports campus in Blanchardstown and can also be watched online from 2.30 p.m. Current and former sports stars, sports organisations, clubs, community groups and health and well-being professionals will come together today to examine the role that sport plays in building and improving community relations. It will also explore how to enhance co-operation through sport across the island.
There is, of course, a long and vibrant tradition of collaboration in sport across the island. Many of our sporting bodies are organised on an all-island level; our international teams in sports as diverse as rugby, cricket and hockey draw on the talent of people from all parts of this island for their success and our Olympic heroes come from all backgrounds, cultures and traditions, representing the full diversity of communities and traditions on the island of Ireland.
Towards the end of last year, I launched a sports action plan which runs until the end of next year. One of its actions commits to continue to engage positively on a North-South basis to facilitate the delivery of sport and physical activity to all on the island and to enable the sharing of best practice and access to facilities. Today's dialogue provides an important opportunity to look at how we can put that into practice.
That is most welcome. As we build a shared island we need to facilitate and expand our sporting connections and, therefore, this news is very timely. Sport plays a vital role in breaking down barriers and bringing communities together. We only have to look at our experience through Covid to see how important sport was. It brings us together in a common cause and in teamwork and, most importantly, it helps fill the gaps that divide us. That is nowhere more important than in Ireland.
Can the Minister of State indicate any measures that have been implemented or are planned on the shared island approach to sport?
More than two thirds of the 70 or so NGBs have decided to run their sports on an all-island basis. They have produced some brilliant teams across so many sports. We have also seen that in our international representation in athletics and a range of other sports. It is important that we strengthen those ties and ascertain how we can share sporting facilities. The Department and Sport Ireland have a lot of engagement with Sport Northern Ireland on how we can achieve that across the board.
Sport has a key role in allowing people to leave their differences at the door and build a common connection and common purpose through sport. Building those links between people from different traditions on this island can play a key role in breaking down barriers. We are keen to strengthen that. The dialogue we will have today will play a key role too.
I commend the Minister of State on his input and role in the area so far. He has taken a real leadership role, although I saw his exploits on Twitter earlier this week and I do not think he will be any threat to Johnny Sexton or Joey Carbery soon. The role he is in probably suits him better.
More seriously, is there a budget allocation in the shared island unit for initiatives relating to sport?
The shared island unit in the Department of the Taoiseach is supporting today's event. That will allow future conversations on what cross-Border initiatives might be possible. That is across all areas of government. That structured conversation with people who have experience and who have grown up, North and South, on how we can build those bridges and break down barriers, leave their differences at the door and celebrate different traditions through sport is important. We have seen many examples where sport in communities, particularly in the North, has played a key role in bringing people of all generations together where they can celebrate difference rather than having that divide. That is why it is a key area of focus in today's dialogue. Hopefully, it will fulfil future opportunities. Both Departments work closely on sharing facilities and looking at infrastructural possibilities.
We are running out of time. We have time to squeeze in one more question but it will not have the full time.