Benefits of sport on Irish society and economy confirmed in new study

At the launch of Researching the Value of Sport in Ireland, are from left, Sport Ireland chief executive John Treacy, Minister of State for Sport, the Gaeltacht & Defence, Jack Chambers TD, Minister for Media, Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport and the Gaeltacht, Catherine Martin TD, and Sport Ireland director of participation & ethics Dr Una May at the Sport Ireland Campus in Dublin. Photo by Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile

Participation in sport and physical activity prevents nearly 100,000 cases of disease annually in Ireland, according to a new survey.

The study which was undertaken by Sport Ireland and Sheffield Hallam University’s Sports Industry Research Centre found that over the past 10 years, the sport economy has grown faster than the economy as a whole.