Basketball Ireland announces plans for up to 10 Centres of Excellence

Mar 23, 2021

NUI Galway and Ulster University are the first Centres of Excellence confirmed

Basketball Ireland is rolling out ambitious plans for 8 to 10 Centres of Excellence, which will be located nationwide. NUI Galway and Ulster University in Jordanstown are the first two Centres of Excellence to be confirmed, having signed an agreement with Basketball Ireland this month. Talks are ongoing with a number of other third level institutions, with further announcements in due course.

Each Centre of Excellence will provide access to expertise, such as strength and conditioning, sports medicine, sports psychology, diet and nutrition, sports management and administration, coach development and training. They will also have media and meeting facilities.

The Centres of Excellence will be used for national training camps for international sides, along with Basketball Ireland academies. There will also be the ability to host international fixtures, national senior competitions, intervarsity competitions, as well as local schools cups and blitzes.

Basketball Ireland CEO, Bernard O’Byrne, who has spearheaded the initiative with colleague Colman O’Flynn, said: “We are delighted to be teaming up with NUI Galway and Ulster University. Both institutions have wonderful facilities and a proven track record in sport, developing athletes for elite competition. These Centres of Excellence are a major infrastructural initiative by Basketball Ireland to deliver world-class facilities and will give our international players and teams the best chance of success when they compete. These Centres of Excellence will be geographically spread, meaning there will be top of the range resources available to local basketball communities in every corner of the country. We want everyone participating in the sport to have the opportunity to fulfil their potential. We have seen a surge in interest in basketball in Ireland and we are determined to continue its growth.”

Mike Heskin, Director of Sport and Physical Activity at NUI Galway, said: “We are very excited about this new partnership with Basketball Ireland’s High Performance Programme. The University has been developing partnerships with a number of the High Performance Sport programmes in Ireland, involving both domestic and Olympic sports. We are certain these partnerships will prove hugely beneficial to our University athletes, by providing a clear pathway for them to achieve their athletic goals. We are especially delighted to be in partnership with Basketball Ireland to build on the existing relationship, which has provided Olympians in our recent past.

“I would like to thank the support that Feargal O’Callaghan, our High Performance Lead; Mike Murray, our Director of Basketball and the help I have received from the University leadership, especially Michelle Miller, Dean Of Students, in developing a High Performance Hub at NUI Galway for the western region. We hope to see a number of other sports follow Basketball Ireland’s lead and operate a high performance programme from the NUI Galway’s campus.”

Feargal O’Callaghan, NUI Galway’s High Performance Sports Lead, added: “I am delighted we have this new partnership with Basketball Ireland. The sports department at NUI Galway has been developing new relationships with a number of key sports in order to develop athletes for the University and the region. The fact that Basketball Ireland has chosen NUI Galway as a base for its programme in the region is great recognition for the hard work that has been put in by everyone in the University sports department. I am really looking forward to seeing what this partnership will do for basketball in the region.”

Dr. Nigel Dobson, Head of Sports Services at Ulster University also welcomed the designation as a Centre of Excellence: “At Ulster University we are passionate about performance and helping people fulfil their potential. We have a long history in basketball, with a number of international players coming through the university, including Emer Howard, Deirdre Brennan, Gareth Maguire, Adrian Fulton and more recently Alex Mulligan and the Quinn twins, Conor and Aidan. Ulster University has also been competing in the men’s and women’s National League since 2005/06 season. This partnership with Basketball Ireland for a Centre of Excellence at our Jordanstown campus builds upon the great work of Patrick O’Neill, our joint basketball development officer and continues our joint pursuit of excellence in the sport.”

Prof. Deirdre Brennan, Ulster University senior academic and coach added: “Basketball has always been an integral part of Ulster University sporting culture since its inception. We have been graced with Irish Internationals dating back to 70’s, who have helped us win multiple varsity and college titles. We are thrilled with the development of a Basketball Ireland Centre of Excellence and look forward to welcoming international teams and players, as well as local clubs, to avail of the excellent facilities and resources we have on offer.”

Federation of Irish Sport launch Irish Sport Industry Innovation Series focusing on investment, international and innovation strands of sport sector

Mar 15, 2021

Today, the Federation of Irish Sport launches the inaugural Irish Sport Industry Innovation Series. The virtual event will bring together thought leaders, subject matter experts and a wealth of experienced individuals for three evenings of discussion, reflection, and knowledge sharing.

The series will cover three core areas: investment, international and innovation through a combination of keynote interviews and panel discussions including ‘The importance of sustainable investment’, ‘Exploring the future of Ireland Inc.’ and ‘Adapting, innovating, and advancing: the role of data driven insights for Sport and Physical Activity’. Contributors will bring a variety of insight and experience from government departments, international projects, market leading multinational corporations, philanthropic investment organisations and sporting bodies.

The event temporarily takes the place of the annual Irish Sport Industry Awards which were paused as a result of COVID-19 and the widespread impact of closures and cessation of activity on the sector. The awards, which will return in 2022, have always served to recognise the outstanding efforts of the bodies and businesses operating in the sport and physical activity sphere and showcase the value of sport and physical activity to the Irish economy. The Industry Series will seek to do likewise while also incorporating reflection and recognition on the exceptional innovative work of so many over the past 12 months. In the face of unprecedented challenges, the sector pivoted its efforts and energy to continue to deliver opportunities and engagement for those who needed it. The Federation will recognise and showcase that commitment across the series in a bid to share the lessons, learnings, and successes of many with the sector as a whole.

Speaking about the launch of the series, Federation of Irish Sport CEO Mary O’Connor said, “The series is an important and exciting event for the Federation in 2021. As we all know, we are operating in a very different place this year as a result of the ongoing challenges of COVID-19. Throughout 2020 we were inspired by some of the fantastic innovative ideas of those within the sector. This series seeks to harness that innovation and pivot our own annual awards into a collaborative, thought provoking and informative series for our members, the sport industry sector and the public. We have a stellar line up of contributors to be announced and look forward to sharing this series with the sector, reflecting and recognising the challenges of the past year and looking to the future with inspiration, innovation and optimism.”

Series takes place from 20th – 22nd April. Speakers and contributors to be announced in full over the next two weeks.

Tickets are on sale from 1pm Monday 15^th March at www.irishsport.ie/tickets

Record Number of Applications for Sports Capital & Equipment Programme 2020

Mar 11, 2021

Alliance welcome acceleration in implementation of new personal injury guidelines 

Mar 10, 2021

Calls on insurers to pass on reductions immediately and in full

The Alliance for Insurance Reform has welcomed confirmation from Government that the new Judicial Personal Injuries Guidelines will take effect in April.

Peter Boland, Director of the Alliance, said “We welcome the sense of urgency in the Cabinet’s approval today of plans by the Minister of Justice to implement the new guidelines. Now it is time for insurers to outline very clearly how they intend to reduce premiums to reflect these developments.”

Tracy Sheridan, owner of Kidspace play centres in Rathfarnham and Rathcoole and director of the Alliance said “Insurers have repeatedly and consistently maintained to the Cost of Insurance Working Group, the Personal Injuries Commission, the Oireachtas Finance Committee and elsewhere that the cost of claims drives premium costs. This analysis has been verified by the Central Bank’s National Claims Information Database Private Motor Insurance Reports. The changes implemented by the Judicial Council and accelerated today by Government mean that the risk associated with every policy will reduce sharply from next month. This must be immediately reflected in renewals for motor and liability insurance cover.”

Eoin McCambridge, Managing Director of McCambridge’s of Galway and Director of the Alliance said “Government must act robustly if necessary to ensure that the gains from the Judicial Guidelines and today’s Cabinet decision are passed on immediately and in full by insurers. Any delays or half-hearted measures will undermine the credibility of the reform process. Furthermore, if insurers do not deliver on the reasonable expectations of policyholders, Government must legislate to monitor and hold them to account in the way that the UK authorities recently have with insurers there, following reforms.”

In conclusion Peter Boland said “It must be remembered that getting insurance costs down means cutting the general damages paid out for minor, fully recovered injuries to reflect international norms. We have written to An Tánaiste Leo Varadkar, in his role as Chair of the Cabinet Committee Sub-Group on Insurance Reform, asking Government to take control of the process and cap general damages such that damages for minor injuries are reduced by an average of 80% compared to the previous Book of Quantum guidelines. Equally, the committed–to reform of PIAB and the rebalancing of the duty of care must now be accelerated. But in the meantime, insurers must act in good faith on the progress already made.”

ENDS

NOTES:

“Insurers repeatedly maintained to the Cost of Insurance Working Group, the Personal Injuries Commission, the Oireachtas Finance Committee and elsewhere that the cost of claims drives premium costs.

The insurance industry and other stakeholders have consistently pointed to increased claims inflation and claims frequency in recent years as the primary reason for the rise in cost of insurance. P42, Cost of Insurance Working Group REPORT ON THE COST OF MOTOR INSURANCE

 Insurance Ireland representatives on the PIC have repeatedly stated that, as award levels and associated costs account for the bulk of the cost of insurance, if claims costs come down and are maintained at a consistent and predictable level then premiums will also reduce accordingly. P4, Second and Final Report of the Personal Injuries Commission, July 2018

“This analysis has been verified by the Central Bank’s National Claims Information Database Private Motor Insurance Reports”

See Alliance for Insurance Reform Fact Sheet No. 2 “Who Gets What?” graphic.

“If insurers do not deliver on the reasonable expectations of policyholders, Government must legislate to monitor and hold them to account in the way that the UK authorities recently have.”

“Therefore, at Report stage in the House of Lords, the government committed to bring forward an amendment in the Commons to provide an effective means of reporting on the public commitment made by the insurance sector. The aim of this amendment is to enable insurers to demonstrate that savings have been passed on to consumers and thereby hold insurers to account, in a way that is appropriate given the commercial sensitivities associated with this type of information. In developing this approach, the intent has been to balance the need to:

• Hold insurers to account in a way that is sufficiently rigorous; and
• Avoid intervening in an already competitive market or placing disproportionate burdens or insurers or regulators.”

 Treasury Policy Note – expected Regulations to require insurers to provide information relating to the impacts of the Civil Liability Bill

“Damages for minor injuries account for the vast majority of compensation payouts”: See PIAB – Insights into the Personal Injury Environment, November 2019

Overall, the Alliance expects general damages for minor, fully recovered soft tissue injuries to be recalibrated in the manner reflected in the ISME Fair Book of Quantum which corresponds with our own independent academic advice.

The Alliance for Insurance Reform brings together 41 civic and business organisations from across Ireland, representing over 55,000 members, 700,000 employees, 614,000 volunteers and 374,000 students in highlighting the negative impact of persistently high premiums and calling for real reforms that will quickly reduce liability and motor insurance premiums to affordable levels and keep them that way. Our members include:

• AOIFE Ireland (Association of Irish Festival Events)
• Car Rental Council of Ireland
• Childminding Ireland
• Coach Tourism & Transport Council of Ireland
• Community Reuse Network Ireland
• Convenience Stores and Newsagents Association
• Cork Business Association
• Early Childhood Ireland
• Family Business Network Ireland
• Federation of Irish Sport
• Galway Chamber
• Galway City Business Association
• Galway County Public Participation Network (PPN)
• Home and Community Care Ireland
• Ireland Active
• Ireland’s Association for Adventure Tourism
• Irish Caravan and Camping Council
• Irish Concrete Federation
• Irish Hotels Federation
• Irish Road Haulage Association
• Irish Showman’s Guild
• Irish Street Arts, Circus and Spectacle Network
• Irish Travel Agents Association
• ISME
• Licensed Vintners Association
• Motorsport Ireland
• National Campaign for the Arts
• Nursing Homes Ireland
• Play Activity and Leisure Ireland
• Quick Service Food Alliance
• Restaurants Association of Ireland
• Retail Excellence
• RGDATA
• Sligo PPN
• Society of the Irish Motor Industry
• South Dublin County PPN
• Sport Ireland
• Union of Students in Ireland
• Vintners Federation of Ireland
• Volunteer Ireland
• The Wheel (Ireland’s national association for community, voluntary and charitable organisations)

For further details contact:

Peter Boland

ALLIANCE FOR INSURANCE REFORM

TEL: 086 826 6036

WEB: insurancereform.ie

FB: /insurancereformireland

TW: @InsuranceRefIre

Federation of Irish Sport announce three-year extension to partnership with OSK.

Mar 10, 2021

The Federation of Irish Sport is delighted to announce a three-year extension with existing audit partners, OSK. The partnership, which has gone from strength to strength since 2010, is part of a suite of partners that offer essential services to benefit some 110 sporting associations that are represented by the Federation.

OSK, who already provide audit, accounting and financial management services to a number of Irish sporting bodies, are recognised as one of Ireland’s leading audit and accounting firms providing quality and professional business advice to Irish businesses including SMEs, multi-national groups, government bodies and sole traders. OSK offer expertise in audit and accounting services, business advisory, small business support and taxation.

Commenting on the announcement, Federation of Irish Sport CEO, Mary O’Connor said “We are delighted to be renewing our partnership with OSK for a further three years. Since joining forces with the Federation in 2010, OSK have been an important and valuable part of our partnership suite. They are tried and trusted by many of our members for their audit and accountancy needs and we are delighted to be able to continue to endorse their work. We look forward to working closely with the team in OSK to continue to develop our partnership and add value to all FIS members over the next three years”.

Deirdre McDermott, Audit Director at OSK said “OSK are very pleased to renew our partnership with the Federation of Irish Sport and continue to provide audit, accounting and financial management services to sporting bodies throughout Ireland. With a genuine passion for sport, the team in OSK understand the challenges of running sport’s governing bodies and local sports partnerships and are experienced in delivering practical solutions while complying with all regulatory requirements and obligations. OSK look forward to continuing to provide their financial expertise to the Federation’s members”

For any further enquiries about the services of OSK please contact Deirdre McDermott at mcdermottd@osk.ie or visit https://www.osk.ie/sectors/sport/ 

Sport Ireland releases Adolescent Girls Get Active Research

Mar 9, 2021

• By the age of 13-15 many girls have labelled themselves “not sporty” and are living by this label, with few attempts to counter it
• The most powerful barrier that prevents inactive girls from taking part in sport and physical activity is not feeling good enough to join in
• Report shows there aren’t enough opportunities for girls to take part and have carefree fun with friends while being active

Sport Ireland today released the Adolescent Girls Get Active Research Report, which was undertaken to discover how to encourage teenage girls, particularly those currently disengaged with sport and exercise, to take part in regular physical activity.

The research, commissioned by Sport Ireland, and funded through the Dormant Accounts Fund, was undertaken by Women in Sport UK. The project focused on teenage girls in Ireland with the aim of identifying their attitudes, needs and desires in relation to sport and physical activity; identify their experienced challenges and barriers to accessing sport and physical activity and ultimately develop informed communication strategies to encourage increased participation.

Speaking at the release of the research report, Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport & Media, Catherine Martin TD commented: “To see the motivations and attitudes of this group of young girls so clearly outlined is insightful. For the first time we have a true understanding of what is causing teenage girls in Ireland to drop out of sport, or what is preventing them from getting involved in the first place. Sport and physical activity can be a powerful force in a person’s life and we are now armed with the knowledge to reframe sport for teenage girls and to make it a positive and powerful force in their lives. My vision for women in sport is that of one where women have an equal opportunity to achieve their full potential, while enjoying a lifelong involvement in sport. It is encouraging to see the research today which supports this commitment with in-depth research and tangible communication strategies that can be adopted to really encourage our teenage girls to engage and re-engage with sport.”

Minister of State for Sport and the Gaeltacht Jack Chambers TD welcomed the study: “The National Sports Policy 2018-2027 sets out the ambitious target of eliminating the active sports participation gradient by 2027. Significant work by Sport Ireland as well as National Governing Bodies and Local Sports Partnerships is lowering this gradient and today’s research, with these tangible outputs and guidance to programme developers, will ensure further progress in eliminating the drop out and inactivity levels among teenage girls. The research clearly outlines the perceived barriers to sport for our teenage girls. It shows that the feeling that they are “not good enough” or “are not sporty” is often rooted in their experience of traditional, more dominant team sports and the stereotypes reinforced in popular culture and experiences. There is however an understanding of the physical health benefits of sport and physical activity, teenage girls value the mental health benefits of exercise and there is an aspiration to be fit and healthy. It is now our job, as leaders in the sports sector, to leverage the learnings in this research, broaden the concept of sport so it is accessible and inclusive to all girls and not just the sporty few and provide more opportunities to engage”.

The qualitative research, conducted online between August and October 2020, involved a deep exploration the lives, behaviours and attitudes to sport, of teenage girls’ aged 13-18 in both rural and urban areas.

Sport Ireland Chief Executive, John Treacy commented, “We are delighted to be able to present the sector with this hugely important body of research and the tangible principles that they can now take and adopt in their work. It is important to recognise that disengaged girls may simply need different or adapted pathways and approaches to attract and sustain their interest in sport and physical activity. The sector is now armed with this knowledge and the insights to really make an impact, to adapt processes and programmes to ensure that girls are engaged in a way that is meaningful to them. I look forward to seeing the impact of the research in participation levels in the future”. 

Despite the physical contrasts in rural and urban living, the research found that the underlying wants and needs of teenage girls are often similar. They feel there is a lack of social space for teens where they feel welcomed, wanted and included. They feel there are limited opportunities to try new things, learn new skills and ultimately feel good about themselves.

By exploring their lives and really trying to understand the desires and attitudes of teenage girls, they researchers have been able to establish five key anchors that really matter to teenage girls.  Unsurprisingly, friends and friendships are central to a girl’s support network and they strongly prioritise time with friends above all else.  Independence and opportunity, social connection, moments of pride and keeping on top of it all and managing the many teenage pressures are all other aspects that matter to teenage girls.

The Adolescent Girls Get Active Research identifies the opportunity for sport and exercise to fill a void in girls’ lives but highlights that an understanding of the anchors, as well as the barriers to participation is essential to make sport and physical activity relevant and meaningful to young girls.

Capability and the feeling of not being “good enough” is the most powerful barrier that prevents inactive girls from taking part in sport. The research shows that teenage girls in Ireland have a narrow, and often negative experience of a small number of traditional (and dominant) team sports in Ireland, and think this is all that sport is and can be. Girls associate ‘sportiness’ with team and contact sports, so girls who are interested in exercise do not feel targeted with sporting initiatives.

Building on the insights and anchors and the knowledge of the barriers, the research established 8 Principles for Success to engage and connect with teenage girls and to support them to embrace sport and physical activity into their lives:

1. No judgement
2. Invoke Excitement
3. Clear emotional reward
4. Open eyes to what is there
5. Build on existing habits
6. Give girls a voice & choice
7. Champion what’s in it for them
8. Expand image of what ‘sporty’ looks like

Sports organisations can use these 8 Principles for Success to check and challenge existing programmes to enhance appeal and relevance for the target audience. They can also be used to innovate and develop completely new initiatives through a teenage girl lens.

Director of Participation and Ethics, Sport Ireland, Dr. Una May outlined the need for this research: “Evidence shows that participation levels plummet during adolescence with just 7% of girls aged 14-15 meeting the recommended physical activity levels. We also know that girls who are active in their teenage years and develop a love of sport are much more likely to establish a life-long relationship with sport and exercise in to adulthood. By really understanding the motivations and attitudes of teenage girls we can now confidently review existing programmes to enhance appeal and relevance for the target audience. We can also use these principles to innovate and develop completely new initiatives. ”.

Sport Ireland Women in Sport Lead, Nora Stapleton commented, “There are many organisations, researchers and others who are working in this space to try and develop interventions to encourage teenage girls to be more active, or to simply stem the dropout rate from sport. I hope that this document can support the work that they are doing. From a Sport Ireland perspective, we plan to utilise the findings and principles for success and develop a number of pilot projects to run in conjunction with the network of LSPs.  We have an exciting Hackathon project launching later today which will provide an opportunity to the public to contribute their ideas to get girls active so I’d encourage everyone to keep an eye out for that and to get involved.”

Ends

Further Information:

David Gash

Communications Manager, Sport Ireland

087-2277643

dgash@sportireland.ie

Notes to editor:

Full report is available on the Sport Ireland website