BACKGROUND
The Limerick City Sports Partnership (LCSP) was established in June 2002 by the Irish Sports Council (ISC) under their strategy A New Era for Sport 2000-2002. Since then the value of Local Sports Partnerships (LSPs) has been recognised on a national level with a commitment to extend the total number of LSPs to 33 by early 2008, so that each city and county will be facilitated. The Building Sport for Life 2006-2008 Strategy from the ISC states that LSPs are charged with increasing participation in sport and ensuring that positive experiences are had within sport. The target of the 2006-2008 Strategy is to increase overall adult participation by 1.5% and numbers of children partaking in extra curricular sport by 3%.

The LCSP has grown in strength since its formation due to the hard work and commitment of the agencies involved. The key aim of the LCSP is to increase participation in sport and physical activity, especially amongst specific target groups and to ensure that local resources are used to best effect. To operate effectively the LCSP has to consider a number of factors. For example, Limerick City itself is the central part of a large city, where a number of key facilities that service the city’s population actually fall outside the city boundaries. Also, Limerick City is at the heart of the Mid West Region providing a range of amenities and activities. Thus, the LCSP considers the extent to which its regional location impacts on its work, such as collaboration with bodies that lie outside its own administrative boundaries and the coming together of a range of public and private bodies to facilitate the development of an overall strategy for the Greater Limerick City Area.

The first eight Partnerships, in a national network of Local Sports Partnerships, were launched in May 2001. The areas selected after open competition to pilot the initiative were: Clare, Kildare, Donegal, Laois, North Tipperary, Roscommon, Sligo and Fingal, Co.Dublin. Then in June 2002, four more Partnerships were launched in Waterford, Meath, Cork and Limerick City. Following their commitment in their "Sport for Life 2003-2006", the ISC established four more LSPs in Kerry, Kilkenny, Mayo and Westmeath in 2003.

OUR FUNCTIONS
The Local Sports Partnerships (LSPs) have two distinct functions, along with implementing their local Strategic Plan, these are:
1. To provide information on sport and physical activity.
2. To provide quality opportunities for education & training at a local level.
3. To implement the strategic plan.

The Irish Sports Council (ISC) delegates LSPs to deliver programmes developed at national level and to distribute funding to locally based clubs/organisations. To this extent the LSPs are a significant element of an integrated national structure of activity. The LSPs are responsible for stimulating an interest in, and a commitment to, sports and physical activity amongst specific local target groups. This is of great importance since it addresses the needs of those in parts of the population that are less represented in sport and physical activity.

The Limerick City Sports Partnership, under the Irish Sports Council, will maintain and increase participation in sport and physical activity in the City, especially amongst specific target groups such as older people, girls & women, people with disabilities, unemployed people and those who live in identified disadvantaged communities.

Whilst funded nationally the Partnership is essentially driven by local people and local interests. With this in mind the LCSP has reviewed their 2003-2006 Strategic Plan and has found that the Partnership has been very successful in the implementation of the actions identified in this strategy. The review has enabled the Partnership to consider the current environment and to identify the activities that will be pursued over the next period 2007-2012.

STAFF
Limerick City Sports Partnership has two full time staff members; Elaine Barry, Sports Co-ordinator and Carole McCarthy, Administrator.

Elaine has been Coordinator of the Sports Partnership since December 2007. She has come from a diverse background, having spent 11 years in Manchester, England, working in Education and Sports development.
“I am delighted to have been appointed as the new coordinator of the Limerick City Sports Partnership. Replacing Elaine O’Connor will not be an easy task, as she had left a great legacy behind her, and her act will be hard to follow. However, since I have started, it has become evident that Limerick people are passionate about their sport and that the dedication and enthusiasm around the city is immense. It is a very exciting time to be involved in sport in Limerick, because it has developed a high profile reputation. As a Sports Partnership we will be working in conjunction with other agencies to ensure that the good practice already in operation, is maintained and developed further. I look forward to meeting everyone at the forefront of Sport here in Limerick and value your help and support”.
One of Elaine’s first tasks in her new position has been the review and development of our Strategic Plan. Check back with us in March when we will be launching our strategic plan for 2007-2012.


Carole joined the Sports Partnership in December 2006. With a degree in Business Studies, she handles the day to day operations of the Partnership including the finance, PR and administration. Carole is a French native, leaving in Ireland for the past 10 years. She enjoys hill walking & aerobics. "I look forward to working with the Sports Partnership & to ensure that Limerick people are taking an active part in sports & physical activities."


LCSP also has a Community Youth Sports Officer and a Sports Inclusion Development Officer.

Eddie Price, Community Youth Sports Officer, works with local groups in formulating long-term structured planning which will encourage more young people to engage in healthy sporting activities within their communities.
This is the first position of its kind in Limerick dealing exclusively with community youth groups. Eddie has relinquished his post with the Irish Rugby Football Union as the local Youth Development Officer in order to take up this new position. He has also worked with the City of Limerick Vocational Educational Education Committee on a variety of projects. Eddie has stated that he is "looking forward to this new and exciting challenge".


Siobhán O'Malley, Sports Inclusion Development Officer, works in promoting the participation of people with disabilities in sport & physical activity. Her brief is to establish a sports disability forum to liaise and encourage co-operation, collaboration and involvement of key stakeholders in the disability sector.
Siobhán is a graduate of Waterford IT with a BA in Business Recreation & Leisure. Since leaving college she has worked in the Disability sector undertaking many and various roles. Siobhán is a member of Cerebral Palsy Sports Ireland linking very closing with the National Boccia Squad assisting and supporting at numerous World Competitions. Currently, Siobhán is coaching the National Development Squad in the build up to the 2012 London Paralympics Games.


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