Full video highlights from the Federation of Irish Sport Conference, 29th May at the Guinness Storehouse in Dublin. Watch full speech from Dr Leo Varadkar, Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport as well as contributions from panellists.
Link: http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/48164482
To watch the Federation Of Irish Sport Conference live, go to the FIS Ustream Channel at www.ustream.tv/channel/irishsport
Ireland’s Children get a D minus for Physical Activity
A new international scale of children’s physical activity levels has graded Ireland with a D minus.
According to data from all over the island of Ireland, only between 12 and 43% of children do enough physical activity.
On May 20th 2014, 15 countries from around the world will publish a series of grades based on children’s physical activity in Toronto, Canada.
ReportCardIreland2014_LongForm_Final
About the Report Card
The Report Card on Physical Activity in Children and Youth is a means of collating all data related to children’s physical activity levels (see appendix 1 for details of the data sources) in a particular country and ‘grading’ the evidence using a grading system just like a school report card i.e. A to F or inconclusive/incomplete if there are not enough data available yet.
Dr Deirdre Harrington, a Lecturer in Physical Activity, Sedentary Behaviour and Health, from the University of Leicester (UK), has chaired a group of 11 other researchers from both the Republic and Northern Ireland that has developed the Report Card for Ireland in consultation with key stakeholders.
Dr Harrington said: “The Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth has been an effective tool in powering the movement to get kids moving by influencing priorities, policies and practice in Canada for the last 9 years.
“Now a further 14 countries from around the globe who have replicated the Report Card process will present their Report Cards at the Global Summit on Physical Activity of Children in Toronto. Ireland will join Scotland and the US, who have already launched their Report Cards, and England in contributing to the Global Matrix of Report Card grades.”
Dr Harrington said: “Children are natural movers but there is concern that children across the globe are not as active as they should be.
“There are many behaviours (TV viewing, sport participation, active transportation, active play and doing PE) and settings (the home, the school, the community and the built environment and government investment and policy) that are known to influence how active children are. We have called these ‘indicators related to children’s physical activity’
Dr. Harrington stressed that “Monitoring how these indicators change over time is important. This first Report Card in Ireland will act as a baseline for surveillance of physical activity promotion efforts and to ensure that any changes are captured.”
The Grades
Ireland sits in the middle of the other countries involved in the Global Matrix of Report Card grades and Dr Harrington said that “Ireland are neither leading nor lagging on how supportive we are as a country to children’s physical activity.
“There are some things we do well and we need to keep momentum up. But there are also many gaps, including the development, launch and implementation of a National Physical Activity Plan that is adequately funded.”
The 10 indicators graded in Ireland, key grades included:
Active Play, the Home and Government were given an Inconclusive grade as data or a clear benchmark do not currently exist.
The Community and the Built Environment indicator was graded with a B based on how parents and teenagers perceive the quality of local facilities and safety of their neighbourhoods. However, Dr Harrington stressed we need be cautious with this indicator: “Just because people perceive their local area to be safe or having good facilities does not always translate to increased use or increase physical activity levels. There are still many ways the local built environment can be adapted to give children more opportunities to be active.”
Recommendations and Gaps
A number of recommendations and key gaps were also highlighted including the absence of a systematic surveillance system for monitoring children’s physical activity levels. Dr Sarahjane Belton, Lecturer in Physical Education at Dublin City University, also said that “there is concern that the planned removal of PE as a subject from the junior cycle curriculum by the Department of Education and Science in the Republic will affect the PE grade in the future and this is something highlighted as a gap that the Government should address”
Dr Marie Murphy from the University of Ulster, who was also a member of the team who developed this Report Card, said “everyone from teachers to policy makers can use the report to refocus efforts to increase help increase the grades and ultimately improve the health of the next generation of Ireland’s citizens.”
Dr. Catherine Woods, Chair of the WHO Health Enhancing Physical Activity working group on children and young people said “this Report Card will set a bench mark for the Island of Ireland from which to work to further improve the opportunities offered to children to be active and the participation of children in physical activity. Healthy Ireland is currently working on how to develop more opportunities of this nature within the Republic.”
Dr Harrington added that the Report Card is a vital tool for practitioners and policy makers to identify key needs and gaps, allocate funds and develop activity promotion initiatives. “By highlighting indicators that ‘could do better’ we are saying that investment and policy needs to be developed.”
Dr Harrington concluded: “We hope that being part of the Global Matrix of Report Card grades will mean we can learn from the successes and failures of other countries. But also, other countries can learn about what we as an island are doing well at. Essentially, we want to improve the grades of countries around the world, starting at home in Ireland” said Dr Harrington.
Appendix 1 – List of data sources used in the 2014 Report Card and dates the data were collected
Appendix 2 – Research Work Group Members Involved in Developing the 2014 Report Card
| Chair | Institution |
| Deirdre M. Harrington, PhD | Leicester Diabetes Centre, University of Leicester, Leicester UK |
| Member | Institution |
| Sarahjane Belton, PhD | Dublin City University, Dublin, Ireland |
| Tara Coppinger, PhD | Cork Institute of Technology, Cork, Ireland |
| Muireann Cullen, PhD | Nutrition and Health Foundation, Dublin, Ireland |
| Alan Donnelly, PhD | University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland |
| Kieran Dowd, PhD | University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland |
| Teresa Keating, MPH | Institute of Public Health in Ireland, Dublin, Ireland |
| Richard Layte, PhD | The Economic and Social Research Institute, Dublin, Ireland |
| Marie Murphy, PhD | University of Ulster, Co. Antrim, N. Ireland |
| Niamh Murphy, PhD | Waterford Institute of Technology, Waterford, Ireland |
| Elaine Murtagh, PhD | Mary Immaculate College, Limerick, Ireland |
| Catherine Woods, PhD | Dublin City University, Dublin, Ireland |
Ministers Reilly and Varadkar welcome launch of Active School Week 2014
12.5.2014
Part of an intersectoral approach under Healthy Ireland
The Minister for Health, Dr James Reilly TD, and Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Leo Varadkar, today (Monday 12 May 2014) welcomed the launch of Active School Week 2014.
Minister Reilly said, “Active School Week is an ideal opportunity for schools, children, parents, and the wider community to work together to commit to becoming more physically active. Under Healthy Ireland we want the healthier choice to be the easier choice. We want to create an environment where everyone can take responsibility and play their part in improving the health and wellbeing of themselves, their families and their communities.
Minister Reilly said, “My Department is developing a National Physical Activity Plan with the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport under the Healthy Ireland framework and with input from other key Departments and stakeholders, . It will promote and encourage greater levels of participation in physical activity by everybody living in Ireland. The aim is to create a shared understanding that more can be done together to address the high rates of physical inactivity in Ireland and the health, economic and social costs related to it.”
Minister Varadkar said: “I am really keen to promote more sport in schools. If we can get children active from an early age, they are more likely to live healthy and happy lives, and society as a whole will benefit. My Department is developing a Sport Policy which is designed to get all Government Departments working together on sport, and we are co-chairing the development of a National Physical Activity Plan with the Department of Health.”
The Ministers encouraged schoolchildren, their parents and communities to recognise the physical and social benefits of being more physically active.
Minister Reilly said, “We are designed to move and to be active and this is critical to our body’s maintenance and wellbeing. Physical activity is an essential ingredient for a healthier country and can deliver so many other benefits for individuals and the wider community. Being physically active is very important in preventing many chronic diseases and also has wider benefits for individual wellbeing”.
The Ministers praised the Active School Week and the Active School Flag initiatives – which are being undertaken by the Department of Education and Skills – for encouraging participation in all types of physical activity. “Active School Week promotes physical activity in schools and communities and fits in with this intersectoral approach”, said Minister Reilly. They expressed the wish that all of the participants would enjoy whatever activities they became involved in and urged even greater levels of participation in the future.
The Active Schools Week and Active Schools Flag initiative is funded by the Teacher Education Section of the Department of Education and Skills and based in Mayo Education Centre. For more details, see here
The Volunteers in Sport Awards 2014 were recently launched by Minister Michael Ring TD, Minister of State for Sport and Tourism at the Aviva Stadium. An initiative of the Federation of Irish Sport in conjunction with the Irish Sports Council, the Department of Tourism, Transport and Sport and The Community Foundation of Ireland, the Volunteers in Sport Awards are run to honour the work of volunteers in Irish sport.
The Minister was joined at the launch by John Treacy, CEO, Irish Sports Council, Olympic Gold Medallist Ronnie Delany, Fiona Coghlan, Captain, Irish Women’s Rugby team, Stephanie Roche, Peamount Utd and Republic of Ireland Women’s Football Team, Keith Fahey, St. Patrick’s Athletic and Republic of Ireland and Irish Olympic Boxer Darren O’Neill.
The first awards were presented in 2007 and are designed to recognise the contribution, commitment and dedication of the 500,000 volunteers who give so generously of their time to sport every year. Sport remains the single biggest driver of voluntary activity in Ireland.
Ten winners will be selected to receive an award from the nominations received. An Overall or Lifetime award to honour a volunteer, who has consistently given of their time for a sport, a team, or an event over many years, will also be awarded. Full details of the scheme and how to enter can be found on line at www.volunteersinsport.com
The deadline for nominations for the 2014 Volunteers in Irish Sport Awards is 12noon, Friday 25th April 2014. The awards will be presented to the winners at a ceremony in the Aviva Stadium in early Autumn. Nominate here
Launch Video: Volunteers in Sport Awards 2014
Sochi
7-23 February 2014
2,500+(estimated)
Russia
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The Snowsports Association of Ireland (formerly known as the Ski Association of Ireland) was formed in 1971 to promote the development of the growing sport of Skiing in Ireland and affiliated to the International Governing Body of the sport, namely Federation Internationale De Ski (FIS) and subsequently the Olympic movement through the Olympic Council of Ireland (OCI).The Snowsports Association of Ireland has been affiliated to the Federation Internationale De Ski for more than twenty years and the Olympic Council of Ireland since 1997. ( http://www.snowsports.ie/about-us.8.html)
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Five young snowsport athletes will represent Ireland at the Sochi Winter Olympic Games which commence in nine days time in Russia (Feb 7th).
Team Ireland is:
Florence Bell (women’s downhill slalom & giant slalom)
Conor Lyne (men’s downhill slalom & giant slalom)
Sean Greenwood (skeleton)
Jan Rossiter (skiing cross country)
Seamus O’Connor (snowboarding – half pipe & slopestyle)
The team is being led by Chef de Mission Stephen Martin.
Making the official team announcement, Pat Hickey, President of the Olympic Council of Ireland (OCI) said that the growing popularity of winter sports in Ireland and with the Irish diaspora abroad was now being reflected in Ireland’s participation in the Winter Olympics.
“We now have many excellent Irish athletes achieving the very tough Winter Olympic qualification standards all over the world and Team Ireland for Sochi is a good example of the Irish talent that is out there. We wish the 2014 Irish team every success in Sochi.”
“The OCI also congratulates Snowsports Ireland and the Irish Bobsleigh Association for their ongoing support for these fine young Olympians”, he added.
Stephen Martin, Team Ireland’s Chef de Mission said that Team Ireland would be one of over 80 countries competing in Sochi. “We expect the Games to be an important milestone in the development of Irish winter Olympic talent and are confident of excellent individual performances in the face of severe competition from the Alpine nations”.
The OCI through its Olympic Solidarity programme has supported preparations for the Sochi Games over the past three years to help athletes to qualify for the Games.
Team Ireland will be wearing a range of competition wear provided to the OCI by key sponsor New Balance plus a range of technical gear.
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There will be 16 days of Olympic events in 10 competition centres in Sochi, featuring almost 2,800 competitors. In total, there will be 98 medal events – the most ever at a Winter Olympics, including 12 new events.
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Florence (Flo) is almost 18 and was born in Birmingham. She comes from a Northern Ireland family and took up ski racing at age 12. Within six months she became Yorkshire, Scottish and British Indoor Champion and was then crowned European Indoor Champion. At 13 she commenced outdoor training and joined the British Ski Academy based in France. In 2009 she was selected for the British Children’s Ski Team and represented Great Britain in races in Europe and New Zealand. Florence then joined her sister Victoria in declaring for Ireland and has continued to race for Ireland in premier events in Europe, New Zealand, Australia and Japan in the build-up to the Sochi Winter Olympics. She represented Ireland at the first ever World Youth Winter Olympic Games in Innsbruck, Austria in 2012 and at the 2013 European Youth Winter Olympics in Romania.
Conor makes his Winter Olympic debut in Sochi at age 21. When not competing around the world – from Europe to New Zealand – he lives in Logan, Utah, near the famous Beaver Mountain ski resort. His father is John Lyne from Brandon, Tralee, Co. Kerry and his mother Anna hails from Hospital, Co. Limerick. Conor maintains strong links with Co. Kerry and is a regular visitor to Brandon. He has also worked in Dublin restaurants as a waiter/server during his student breaks. Conor has competed for Ireland at the last two Skiing World Championships (Germany 2011 and Austria 2013). All his family are involved in skiing and his younger brother Sean competed for Ireland at the European Youth Olympics in Brasov, Romania in 2013. Conor is also an avid golf, GAA and soccer fan.
Seamus, at age 16, is creating quite a stir in the snowboarding world since he declared for Ireland and set his eyes on the Sochi Winter Olympic Games. Seamus’s grandparents came from Drogheda and Dublin. His father Kevin grew up in England, and has spent the last 30 years in the US. Seamus was born there. His mother Elena comes from Siberia, not too far from Sochi, so he will have some strong family support at the Games. Seamus was raised in San Diego, California and the O’Connor family moved to Park City, Utah to avail of the snowboarding facilities in the region. He was twice European Junior Half-Pipe champion at age 12 and is one of the hottest prospects in the stunning world of snowboarding. Seamus already has some major sponsors behind him and is a full-time professional, training in Colorado.
Born in Vancouver, Sean, age 26, grew up in Western Canada and partly on the west coast of Ireland. His mother, Sibéal Foyle (Ní Fhoighíl) emigrated to Canada from Galway in the early 1980′s and maintains deep family connections in Ireland. His father is Canadian, a chartered business valuator. Sean started skeleton racing in 2008 following a sporting career in competitive rugby. After gaining a BA in Economics from the University of Calgary, he decided to take the opportunity to slide at the site of the 2010 Winter Olympic Games in Whistler BC, on the world’s fastest skeleton track. A commercial helicopter pilot, Sean is based in Whistler, Canada working on fitness, sled preparation and general racing experience in order to compete for Team Ireland for four runs against the best in the world. To date, Sean has performed impressively, winning gold, silver and bronze medals in the North America’s Cup in Whistler and New York’s Lake Placid, and at the Elektro Melcher competitions in San Moritz. Switzerland. He recently gained a World Cup spot as a result of his 2012-13 season and is currently ranked 25th in the world.
Jan, age 26, was born in Cork to an Irish father and Czech mother. He grew up in Kingston, Ontario -a town with no ski club. While completing a degree in Physiology at McGill University, Montreal he was introduced to cross country ski racing. He then moved to Ottawa to complete a programme in respiratory therapy at Algonquin College. His skiing accomplishments include being named MVP of the McGill University’s Nordic Ski team, coaching this team in 2009/2010, and completing the Canadian Ski Marathon – Coureur des Bois Gold – three times. He has worked in the past as a cross country ski, canoe, kayak and backpacking instructor and holds numerous certifications in these disciplines. Jan lives in Kingston, Ontario and speaks English, Czech and French.
From left to right: Conor Lyne, Pat Hickey, Florence Bell, Seamus O’Connor