Sinn Féin has today launched a proposal for an Activity Card to support children’s participation in sport and culture.

Sinn Féin TD for Dublin South West Seán Crowe has said the proposal would empower children and young adults who want to get involved in sports and culture, whilst also easing the burden for parents.

The €127 million proposal would see every child between the ages of 4 and 18 receive a card worth €130 which they could spend on extracurricular sports or arts activities, based on the successful Planet Youth primary prevention model first developed in Iceland in 2007.

Teachta Crowe said:

“The success of Team Ireland at the Olympics reminds us of the power of sport to unite and uplift communities, and the importance of investing in our young people.

“Sinn Féin believes in addressing this inequality of access, and easing the burden for parents and families who are struggling with the cost of living.

“Our €127 million proposal would see every child between the ages of 4 and 18 receive an Activity Card worth €130 which they could spend on extracurricular sports or arts activities.

“Our policy acknowledges the real benefits of investing in sports and cultural participation from a young age.

“We know from research by the ESRI and Barnardos that up to 20% of children drop out of individual activities due to the financial cost of the sport, and parents are struggling to cover subscription fees and the cost of kits and equipment.

“Only half of those involved in structured cultural activities outside school at age 9 remain involved by the time they reach 13.

“Our policy acknowledges the real benefits of investing in sports and cultural participation from a young age, in terms of community development, social cohesion and educational results, as well as health and wellbeing.

“We save money in our health service when we support young people to stay active, helping to tackle obesity, depression, and substance abuse.

“The evidence from Iceland is striking, where their Recreation Card is credited with increasing youth participation and drastically reducing the number of teenagers engaged in anti-social activity, including alcohol, tobacco and drug use which used to be among the highest in Europe.

“Ireland needs a government prepared to adopt evidence-based policies based on international best practice, and this Activity Card proposal is one way to do just that.

“A Sinn Féin led government would ensure that no child and no community is left behind.”