Over a third of girls in secondary schools are playing little or no sport outside scheduled PE classes, according to a study by the Economic and Social Research Institute published yesterday.
The report, School Children and Sport in Ireland, was launched by Minister for Sport John O'Donoghue at the opening of the fourth All-Island Sports Development Conference in Naas, Co Kildare.
It found that more than one in four of all second-level students get one session or less a week of extra-curricular or non-school sport. And girls are less likely to be involved in sport, with 38 per cent playing little or none outside school hours compared to 17 per cent of boys.
Involvement in sport also declines with age, with over a third of all sixth-year students taking part in just one session or none of non-school sport every week.
Compiled by Tony Fahey, Liam Delaney and Brenda Gannon, the study also found that secondary students are receiving less PE than recommended per week. They are getting on average just over one hour a week instead of the recommended two hours. The ESRI surveyed 7,300 school children in 217 primary and secondary schools in Ireland. The report stated that teachers who give up their free time are crucial to the provision of children's sport, and adult volunteers in sports clubs also make a significant contribution.
Mr Fahey said the drop-off in sports among older students could be partly blamed on the pressure of schoolwork.
A lack of facilities in schools is also a problem.
John Carr, general secretary of the Irish National Teachers' Organisation, said the Government must greatly increase the school building fund if children are to have access to the full PE curriculum.
"This could be improved by funding dual usage indoor facilities on which schools would have first call during the school day but which would be available to the wider community in the evenings and during school holidays," he said.
Speaking at the launch of the report and opening of the conference, Mr O'Donoghue praised the work of volunteers in sport.
He said poor participation by girls in sport was a cause of concern and there needed to be far greater interaction between sport and education.
On the future of the national stadium project at Abbotstown, he said he was still in discussion with Minister for Finance Brian Cowen on advancing the first phase of the plan, and if the facilities were in place in time for the London Olympics in 2012 it would present "a golden opportunity" for Ireland.
Meanwhile, a survey of 1,400 primary schools carried out by Fine Gael has found that over 75 per cent have no sports hall and almost half have no playing pitch.
