To ask the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure how her Department is encouraging an increase in (i) youth; and (ii) female participation in sport.

My Department’s strategy for sport, Sport Matters, contains 26 high level targets, 11 of which are specifically designed to increased participation and sport and physical activity levels across our population, including amongst young people and females. As part of this Strategy an action plan has been published, which provides specific actions for DCAL and Sport NI. The plan also includes actions to be taken forward in partnership with other government departments and a range of public bodies, including district councils.

Since 2009, Sport NI has invested just over £63.3Million in sports participation programmes which young people and females have benefitted from. Specific actions include guidance for schools that recommends a minimum of 2 hours of physical education classes per week, the delivery of Sport NI’s ‘Active Eight’ suite of programmes and the promotion of extra-curricular sports opportunities. Other Sport NI programmes which have a focus on increasing participation opportunities for young people and females include the delivery of Sport NI’s Active Communities Programme in partnership with district councils, the Active Clubs Programme and the Boxing Investment Programme.

Future plans to encourage participation in sport and physical activity, including amongst youth and females, are currently being developed and will be taken forward with the introduction of a new Sport NI policy – ‘Everybody Active 2020’. It is anticipated that implementation of programmes to support this policy will commence during the 2016/17 financial year.

In addition, Sport NI intends to invest a total of £17.5Million in sports facilities through its Sports Facility Fund, which was recently launched. A key objective of this investment will be to increase participation, including amongst young people and females.