High Five Boxing Academy
Deputy Ward welcomes children, parents and coaches from the High Five Boxing Academy for children with additional needs. The Tánaiste warmly welcomes them too and says he would support dormant accounts funding subject to ministerial approval.
I am just back from a wonderful briefing relating to the High Five Boxing Academy for children with additional needs. The briefing was hosted by Deputy Ó Snodaigh and me in the audiovisual room. I ask the Tánaiste to join me in welcoming the children, the parents, and the coaching staff of the High Five Boxing Academy for children with additional needs to the Gallery. This initiative is supported by the Irish Athletic Boxing Association and includes all children, regardless of their abilities. It was started by Pat Dingle of Drimnagh Boxing Club and has been continued on by Paddy Jennings, from Palmerstown in my area, and is in boxing clubs right across Ireland now. The initiative ensures that children of all abilities are part of boxing, not apart from boxing. The academy only has a couple of asks of the Tánaiste. These are to raise awareness for the club where we would like to see the initiative spread right across the country. The Minister of State with responsibility for sport, Deputy Chambers, joined us at the briefing and mentioned that consideration could be given to providing funding through the dormant accounts fund. If the Tánaiste to lend his support in that regard, it would be really welcome.
Comment on this
I thank Deputy Ward. I join him in welcoming everyone from the High Five Boxing Academy. As both the Deputy and I know, boxing is a very inclusive sport. It has always been good at including people from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, but also people who may be disadvantaged in other ways. I am a strong supporter of the sport. We have a great club in Mulhuddart in my constituency. I would certainly be happy to lend my support to the call for moneys to be provided from the dormant accounts fund, subject, of course, to the approval of the Minister of State, Deputy Chambers.