Go back to basics over school sport

Sir — I wish to congratulate John Greene on his article last Sunday regarding the current state of sport in Ireland and of the past input by our successive governments.

In my opinion, sport has never been given adequate attention by our political parties by amalgamating it with tourism, culture and arts, etc. Sport needs a separate minister who is able to dedicate their full attention to it without having to handle various other portfolios at the same time.

Arts and tourism need their own minister also if they want to succeed following the pandemic.

I wish Catherine Martin well on her appointment and I know she will give 110pc to her various portfolios. I can already see a major boost in female participation in sport by having a female minister.

In her role of sports minister, she will have to return to the basics, firstly by getting our Education Department on board and making it compulsory that every national school has a PE teacher with recognised breaks for physical activity.

Every child must be given the opportunity to be active in some capacity trying out various activities in a fun non-competitive environment. Wouldn’t it be great if every child in this country was able to swim before they left national school?

Again, we also need to have full-time PE teachers and recognised physical activity breaks for all our secondary school students. The day of a school giving its full attention to their Gaelic/rugby teams to the detriment of other sports has to be tackled.

Funding should be prioritised to those schools who run their various sporting departments successfully. I know various local sporting bodies are willing to help schools if required. Our country needs to get back to our grassroots if we wish to progress.

Where have the John Treacys, Eamonn Coughlans, Sonia O’Sullivans, Barry McGuigans, Liam Bradys, etc gone? It’s going to be a long process, but it can be done if taken seriously.

Padraig Cassidy,

Tullyherim, Co Monaghan