Jun 11, 2013
Only one-third of the Irish population is meeting the minimum recommended 150 minutes of weekly physical activity, and the low levels of walking are contributing to long-term health problems.
A seminar held in University College Cork (UCC), hosted by the Institute of Public Health in Ireland (IPH), the Centre of Excellence for Public Health (Queens University Belfast) and the HRB Centre for Health and Diet Research (UCC) – was to explore how recent research in the North and South of Ireland can support national policy and local government planning to increase the walkability of our towns and cities.
Why walkability is essential: Dr Kevin Balanda, Associate Director of IPH, said that, “the low levels of physical activity across the island has many and will have many implications for public health in the future. Recent IPH studies suggest that by 2020 there will be large increases in the number of people with obesity-related chronic conditions. IPH forecasts that, by 2020, there will be 366,000 people with hyp
ertension, 176,000 with diabetes and 29,000 with stroke. It is therefore highly essential that we reverse this trend by getting a more walkable population.”
Queens University Belfast’s Dr Mark Tully, said that, “in line with worldwide trends, only one third of the population meet the minimum recommended level of 150 minutes of moderate intensity activity – such as walking or cycling – per week. Urgent action is required to tackle this inactivity epidemic. The goal of public health is to help more people be more active, more often. Neighbourhood designs that support healthier choices are essential.”
Dr Tully goes on to say, “A recent study in the United States shows that 37% of residents in high walkability neighbourhoods met the required levels of physical activity compared to 18% of residents in low walkability areas. Another factor that we have found in our own research in Northern Ireland is the importance of addressing people’s perceptions of where they live and encouraging people to explore their local neighbourhoods to find attractive places to engage in physical activity.”
Suburbs: UCC’s WIliam Brady talked about the census data from 2011 and that only 3% of the population in some of the cork suburb areas he studied, walk or cycle to work or school. This is due to a poor design of pedestrian routes and the distances people have to travel to get to basic amenities like schools, parks, shops, bus stops and work. Not surprisingly people overwhelmingly rely on passive forms of travel like a car for example.
Mr Brady goes on to say, “unfortunately, many of the suburban residential areas built over the last 20 years or so around the country don’t encourage, and in fact actually discourage, walking as a mode of transport because of physical barriers to walking and the poor quality of the pedestrian facilities. This means we will have to think of ways to ‘retrofit’ these suburban areas in order to introduce walkability through creating attractive pedestrian-only and pedestrian-oriented walkways in suburbs as well as town and city centres. This may involve partially removing or breaching existing boundary walls within many housing estates, widening and enhancing existing links with lighting, landscaping measures and making improvements to green and open spaces throughout residential areas.”
Professor Geraint Ellis, Queen’s University Belfast adds that, “improving the walkability of our towns and cities demands the combined efforts of those working in planning and public health as well as the management of public services such as parks and public transport. This can be strongly supported by good knowledge exchange partnerships with universities that helps set up a virtuous circle between research and the implementation of policy and practice.”
Read More Here (The Journal Article)
Read More Here (Press Release)
Jun 10, 2013
Tourist arrivals in Malaysia rose to more than 25 million arrivals in 2012 and revenue climbed to almost $20.2 billion, which is an increase of 4% since 2011. Part of this increase is down to the targeting, by a dedicated government agency, of sport events to generate tourism revenues.
Under Malaysia’s Economic Transformation Programme (ETP), tourism was identified as one of the 12 National Key Economic Areas (NKEA), to drive the nations economic growth. A number of tourism development projects have been put in place in order to achieve 36 million arrivals and $60 billion in tourism receipts by 2020.
One of these development projects include securing major events. In 2012, Malaysia managed to attract $308 million in tourist receipts from tourists visiting Malaysia for major sports, art, lifestyle and entertainment events.
‘Malaysia Major Events’ the new agency, created under the Ministry for Tourism and Culture, is confident that it will achieve greater milestones in growing Malaysia as the destination for major sporting events within the Asia-Pacific region that is expected to contribute $140 million to the Gross National Income (GNI) and 8,000 temporary jobs to the nation by 2020. With the high availability of fully equipped and sophisticated sports facilities & infrastructures, Malaysia is now experienced and has gained wide expertise in organizing and hosting various types of sporting events.
Malaysia Sporting Events will be the catalyst in securing major sporting event bids for Malaysia and it aims to make more progress at the SportAccord convention 2013 in Russia. Malaysia has already hosted major events like the Formula 1 Malaysian Grand Prix, Moto GP Malaysian Grand Prix, Autobacs Super GT Series, international leg of the PGA Tour, ATP/WTP tennis tournaments etc. Through its efforts, in 2016 they will host the World Table Tennis Championships and the IFMA (Muaythai) World Championships in 2014. Also, they will be hosting the 127th IOC session in 2015 at the Kuala Lumpar Convention Centre, Malaysia.
Research by the British Tourism Authority has indicated that the tourist who comes to indulge in his or her chosen sporting passion is likely to spend twice as much as the ‘ordinary tourist’.
In Ireland, the power of sports tourism was very much evident in 2012 with the American Football Game between U.S Navy and Notre Dame which attracted a capacity crowd which included 35,000 visitors from the US. Many of these visitors combined the game with a holiday in Ireland and preliminary research has indicated that hotels, restaurants, shops and golf courses saw a sharp increase in business. Initial figures indicate that the overall contribution to the economy as a whole was in excess of €100 million. Other examples of the power of sports tourism include the Volvo Ocean Race, the Men’s Olympic Hockey Qualifiers and the Youth Sailing World Championships.
Sarah O’Connor, Chief Executive Officer, Federation of Irish Sport, writing in our Annual Review said that: ‘the sooner we set up a dedicated agency to bid for sports events the better. ‘Sport Event Denmark’ is an outstanding example of what is possible. A joint venture between the Danish Government and the country’s national sporting organisations, Sport Event Denmark, is now so successful that it wins 2 out of every 3 events it bids for. In recent years, Sport Event Denmark, has facilitated the hosting in Denmark of the Olympic and UEFA congresses, World and European championships across a wide range of sports including cycling, wrestling and football.’
A similar model could and would deliver for Ireland. We have a strong track record in hosting sporting events but never has there been a strategic approach to the bringing in of such events . This is an area where Ireland could excel and deliver a boost to our tourism industry.
The establishment of ‘Sport Bid Ireland’ would ensure that sports and government were working in tandem to secure a steady stream of appropriate events into Ireland with all the ancillary benefits that this would provide. Ireland could learn from our Malaysian and Danish counterparts where a strategic approach to attracting sporting events has delivered a real economic return.
Read More Here (Malaysia)
Read More Here (Sport Tourism Ireland)
Jun 7, 2013
The GAA is pleased to confirm plans to develop high performance purpose-built facilities for the Association at the National Sports Campus in Blanchardstown.
The new facility will include four full size pitches including one to the scale of Croke Park; a full size 3G training facility; a hurling wall; a state-of-the-art pavilion to include 10 changing rooms, a viewing gallery for 350 people and ancillary space to cater for offices, meeting rooms, physiotherapy, a gym and a canteen. Parking spaces for 256 cars and eights coaches have also been included.
The facility will serve as a national training centre for all strands of the wider Association including Camogie and Ladies Football and will assist in catering for the needs of counties, clubs, schools and colleges in Dublin and the greater Leinster area.
In total, the GAA will invest €9 million in the facility. It is expected that development work will commence in the coming weeks and will be ready for use by September 2014.
The Association has worked in partnership with the National Sports Campus Development Authority to develop these facilities, and the GAA will be one of 20 national sporting bodies operating from the Campus.
Uachtarán Chumann Lúthchleas Gael Liam Ó Néill said: “It is fitting that the GAA should take its place alongside the other 19 national sporting bodies who will have a presence at the impressive new Campus and I am pleased that teams from across Ireland – and indeed those visiting from overseas – will have access to these excellent facilities to further enhance their preparation for competing in our games at every level.”
GAA Director General Páraic Ó Dufaigh added: “This is a milestone project, not just for the GAA, but for sport in Ireland and we are delighted to be involved.”
“The role of sport in society is 
difficult to overestimate and this ambitious project is an acknowledgement of the importance Irish people place on sporting activity and the pursuit of excellence.”
Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport Leo Varadkar said: “I am really excited that the GAA is coming to the Campus. It is the first of the four major field sports organisations to develop training facilities on site. I want to congratulate them on their decision and to assure them of the support and assistance of the Government with their development. I can’t wait to see county, club and college jerseys from across Ireland being worn with pride on Campus.”
The GAA’s plans have also been welcomed by Seán Benton, Chairman of NSCDA, who said: “This is a very significant investment by the GAA and represents another huge step forward in the ongoing development of world-class training facilities at the National Sports Campus.”
Read More Here
May 31, 2013
The Federation of Irish Sport and Leman Solicitors collaborate once again as part of the Breakfast Seminar series for CEO’s and Leaders in Sport on Thursday 13th June, 8am.
Subject: Data in Sport
Date: 8am to 9am on Thursday 13th June 2013 (7.45am start, with light breakfast)
Location: Leman Solicitors, 8 – 34 Percy Place
Format and discussion:
- How much do you know about your organisation’s obligations on Data Access Requests?
- Get the first hand experiences of another CEO dealing with Data
- Get the law explained simply on your obligations
- Q&A with the panel
- Light breakfast will be served
- Network and meet other CEO’s
Contributors include: Sarah Keane, CEO, Swim Ireland, Kate Hills, National Children’s Officer, Swim Ireland and Lisa Jackson, Leman Solicitors with a panel discussion and Q&A after.
Please confirm your attendance to conn.mccluskey@irishsport.ie
May 31, 2013
Location:
Peamount United FC, Newcastle, South Dublin.
Date:
5th-11th May, 2013
Participating Teams/Athletes:
Republic of Ireland, USA, Scotland and The Netherlands
About CSPI Sport:
CSPI is the National Governing Body in Ireland for people with Cerebral Palsy. Cerebral Palsy Sport Ireland was founded in 1978 to offer sporting and recreational opportunities to individuals with cerebral palsy and other physical disabilities. They are also the governing body for football 7-aside and Boccia. They develop sports programmes in athletics, swimming, cycling, boccia and football 7-aside.
Event History:
This was the inaugural Dublin Gathering CP International Tournament, although the Republic of Ireland are no strangers to hosting International CP Tournaments having organized the CPISRA European Championships in UCD in 2006 and The St. Patrick’s Day Cup International Tournament in 2011, hosted by this years venue Peamount United FC.
Event Preparation:
This was a relatively small event with 4 international teams competing in 3 matches each against the other teams with a 3rd/4th place playoff and then a final for the two top teams. Admission to all games was free of charge and all were encouraged to come along, cheer on the ‘boys in green’ and welcome our visitors to South Dublin for what was an action packed week of top class CP football in the spirit of Gathering Ireland 2013.
The Tournament is supported by South Dublin County Council, South Dublin County Tourism Ltd, Fingal LEADER Partnership and Gathering Ireland. There was also huge support from the FAI and the Football for All programme manager Oisin Jordan. The Dublin Gathering International CP Tournament forms part of the overall strategy of getting Ireland’s global diaspora home (and contributing to the local economy) while enjoying a first class international tournament and experiencing the best of local hospitality and attractions at the same time.
The Dublin Gathering CP International Tournament was launched last October in South Dublin County Council, County Hall, Tallaght by Michael Ring TD the Irish Minister of State, at the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport. Peamount United Club shop was open for the tournament where hot, cold drinks and confectionary were sold.
Mileno Sports were organisers of the event with Managing Director, Philip Behan, being the manager of the event. The company was formed by Philip Behan and Terry Behan who with 20 years of combined experience and excellent relationships in the Sports Business, branding and sponsorship worlds have created an exciting proposition for clients worldwide.
The Event:
Venue
Peamount United FC, Newcastle, South Dublin
Spectators/Attendees.
4 International teams: Republic of Ireland, Scotland, Netherlands, USA. Admission to all games was free of charge and the public were encouraged to come along. The event mainly saw Irish supporters attending the with each match seeing close to 150-200 people spectating. A strong family support was also present at all matches.
What next for CSPI in 2013?
Boccia-European Championships in Portugal from the 15th-23rd of June, Cheshire International 26th-28th July, National Boccia League-16 teams-runs from June-September, National Boccia Championships-October 2013.
Football-Intercontinental Cup in Barcelona from the 26th July-10th of August, Home Nations Development Championship from the 5th-8th of September.
….and for the Irish CP FootballTeam?
As Republic of Ireland came out victorious at the end of this tournament, they will look to win tournaments of a higher stature from now on like the Paralympics, World championships, World cup and European championships.
How the event went:
After many months of planning and preparation, Republic of Ireland were victorious after a 4-2 win on penalties against The Netherlands at Peamount United FC on Saturday 12thof May. The teams could not be separated following a 3-3 draw after extra time and the responsibility fell to Republic of Ireland’s Gary Messett to take the decisive penalty to send the home crowd into raptures and keep the trophy in Dublin for another year. The trophy was presented by Gino Kenny, Deputy Mayor of South Dublin County Council
Mr Kenny said ‘It has always been a very successful event for us and helps us to showcase the sport of CP football. The younger players are given the chance to see CP Football being played at its highest level and helps to encourage new players to get started. The team itself are extremely dedicated to the programme and their commitment see’s them put in 100% all of the time. They are strongly supported by Manager Mick Doyle and HP Programme Manager Paul Carrin.’
A BIG thanks must go to the FAI (Football Association of Ireland) and the Irish Sports Council for the funding that they invest in the programme and the event.
For more information please contact the office of CPSI at: info@cpsi.ie or 01 6251160
May 31, 2013
Taoiseach Enda Kenny, together with Minister Leo Varadkar officially opened the Irish Sport HQ at the National Sports Campus in Blanchardstown on Wednesday 29th May.
Performing the opening the Taoiseach said, “Ireland is a country that is passionate about sport and it is fitting that where possible we should have world class facilities to support, encourage and inspire everyone to get involved in sport. This Government has put a renewed focus on supporting sporting activities nationwide and I’m delighted that significant progress has been made in the development of the National Sport Campus over the past 12 months. The opening of the Irish Sport HQ and the arrival of 19 national governing bodies is a major step in the development of the Campus. Today’s milestone will also help foster the sense of community and cooperation which I know already exists in Irish sport.”
The Federation of Irish Sport is one of the 19 National Governing Bodies who moved into the Campus. Work is currently underway on the Multi-Sport Pitches and Sport Pavilion and the planned High Performance facilities for Horse Sport Ireland and Pentathlon Ireland are scheduled for completion in August.
Minister for Transport, Tourism & Sport Leo Varadkar said: “When I was appointed Minister I developed a new vision for the National Sports Campus. We decided there wasn’t going to be any new stadium. Instead, we made lands and facilities available and invited the governing bodies to develop them.”
Federation CEO, Sarah O’Connor commented on the signifiance of the opening: “Today is a step forward in the right direction for Irish Sport. A home for Governing Bodies as well elite training and high performance facilities for our current and emerging international athletes is a valuable asset from which Irish sport can benefit hugely. The new Irish Sport HQ enables Governing Bodies to interact and work together more collaboratively and the Federation will continue to work with Government to promote sport as a key tool in the creation of a better Ireland.”Minister for Transport, Tourism & Sport Leo Varadkar said: “When I was appointed Minister I developed a new vision for the National Sports Campus. We decided there wasn’t going to be any new stadium. Instead, we made lands and facilities available and invited the governing bodies to develop them.”
Taoiseach Enda Kenny and Federation of Irish Sport CEO, Sarah O’Connor got the opportunity to discuss ‘Why Irish Sport Matters’ (see left).
For more information on the opening click here
ertension, 176,000 with diabetes and 29,000 with stroke. It is therefore highly essential that we reverse this trend by getting a more walkable population.”
