Fingal County Council has secured €100,000 in funding for sporting initiatives benefiting traditionally underserved communities.
Community Sports and Physical Activity Hubs are a major element of the funding, with $45,000 allocated for Tyrellstown/Mulhuddart and €35,000 for Balbriggan.
The Hubs provide information, support and advice on a wide range of sports and physical activities to bring local people together and provide a home for local clubs and sports organisations.
€10,000 is allocated to the Youth Leadership project involving specialised Sports Leadership training to produce trained, responsible and confident volunteers who can help to deliver sport and recreation initiatives within their community.
The programme has the potential to impact on both early school dropout rates in disadvantaged areas and dropout rates from sport within the targeted age group.
€10,000 is also allocated for the Sports Inclusion Disability Programme, which aims to reduce barriers to sports participation for people with a disability through provision of equipment and minor infrastructure.
This initiative will help people with a disability to engage with their community, develop their social networks, and encourage them to develop their skills, talents and abilities.
Mayor of Fingal Cllr Eoghan O’Brien said: “I am delighted to see that Fingal’s sports programmes will receive assistance from the Dormant Accounts Fund.
“Sport and physical activity should be for everyone to enjoy, and the Fingal Sports Office programmes are exciting steps towards this.”
Fingal County Council Director of Services for Housing and Community Margaret Geraghty said: “On behalf of the Council’s Sports Office I welcome the provision of funding for these important projects.
“The funding for Community Sports and Physical Activity Hubs, Youth Leadership, and Sports Inclusion Disability initiatives will go far towards improving the health, wellbeing and social cohesion of communities across Fingal.”
The funding will be administered by Sport Ireland, and aligns closely with the National Sports Policy and the National Physical Activity Plan.
