Tánaiste launches Important Initiative to Develop the Health, Sport and Leisure (HSL) Sector in the Shannon Region

Mary Harney, Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise Trade and Employment, today (Friday 29th June 2001) launched a Shannon Development led initiative aimed at developing the Health, Sport, and Leisure (HSL) sector in the Shannon Region, at the new University Arena sports complex in the University of Limerick.

Speaking at the launch the Tánaiste said "the promotion of a healthy region and corporate wellness concepts are important in making the Shannon Region a more attractive place to live, create new businesses, increase employment opportunities, and attracting additional visitors to the region. In the longer term, the HSL sector has the potential to be a strategic growth sector for the Region. The development of the sector with the goal of achieving national and international pre-eminence in the field represents a long-term opportunity for the Shannon Region, and the foundations for this can be laid successfully over the next few years".

This new initiative follows on the findings of a major study of the HSL sector commissioned by Shannon Development which identified the most urgent needs of the sector as being training, leadership and coordination, finance and marketing. The initiative launched by the Tánaiste addresses these needs through two strands of activity, one dealing with the economics of HSL and the business development side of the sector, and the other dealing with Quality of Life issues and building a healthy region.

The Tánaiste launched a strategic framework for the development of this new sector in the Shannon Region, which consists of three main elements. Shannon Development will implement a series of HSL Entrepreneurship Programmes, in partnership with the National Coaching and Training Centre (NCTC), the Institute of Technology Tralee, the Tipperary Institute and the University of Limerick. The Company will also initiate an Innovation Methodologies Forum in the HSL area, using the same partnership approach, and a Bureau will be established to market and promote the region as an integrated centre for national and international HSL activities.

Dr Pat Duffy, Director of NCTC, said "There are powerful synergies between business and HSL, and there are many successful examples of these synergies in the Shannon Region. The designation of three counties within the region as Local Sports Partnerships, alongside the third level expertise in Limerick, Tralee and Thurles, further highlights the potential which exists.

Patricia Byrne, Director of Knowledge Enterprise, Shannon Development, said “the study highlighted the business and employment opportunities that the HSL sector offers to the growing numbers of sports science and leisure management graduates emerging from 3rd level colleges in the region. The study also challenges existing operators in the HSL sector to develop new and innovative services and products".

Definition of the Health, Sports and Leisure Sector The Health, Sports and Leisure (HSL) sector is concerned with identifying business development and entrepreneurial opportunities in the following areas:

• Health Services (in a Quality of Life context) - health services that fall outside the range of conventional public healthcare services provided privately and by the State.
• Sports Services - the provision of specialist sports services e.g. coaching, sports science, training and support services to the sports sector, with particular emphasis on professional and top-class amateur sports persons and teams.
• Leisure Services - health-promoting leisure and recreational services that can relate to activities consistent with a healthy.

Shannon Development commissioned a study of the potential of the HSL sector in the region, with particular emphasis on ‘identifying a strategic direction for the development of the HSL sector in terms of its resources and potential to contribute to the economic development of the Shannon Region in respect of new and existing enterprises, the creation of wealth, and an increase in employment in the Shannon Region.’

The study was carried out by Holohan Leisure Consultants, Dublin, and was supported under the EU Operational Programme for Small Business. The study found that the existing HSL sector in the region is fragmented with relatively small-scale enterprises; comprising mainly the health and leisure fields; and with a strong emphasis on tourism related activities. Current total employment is estimated at 3,500.

The HSL Implementation Plan contains two strands of activity - one dealing with the economics of Health, Sports and Leisure and the business development side of the sector, and the other dealing with Quality of Life issues and building a Healthy Region.

• The provision of HSL Entreprensurship programmes through the cross fertilisation of expertise and experience between Shannon Development, the National Coaching and Training Centre, the Institute of Technology Tralee, the Tipperary Institute, and the University of Limerick.
• The initiation of an Innovation Methodologies Forum in the area of Health, Sports and Leisure, using the same partnership approach.
• A Bureau is being established to market and promote HSL in the Region. This Bureau will promote the region as an integrated centre for team participation in advance of international events and as an integrated centre for participative team competitions.

• The establishment of a ‘Wellness Centre’ at the University Arena in a partnership between the Mid-Western Health Board, the University of Limerick and the corporate sector.
• The Mid-Western Health Board in partnership with local authorities and the University of Limerick will establish a health enhancing physical activity team, which will be based at the University Arena Wellness Centre.
• The initiation of a ‘Wellness Town’ award scheme for the region which will provide towns with the opportunity to develop a wellness agenda in their town against a set of minimum standards.
• A Regional Forum to maximise co-operation around the health enhancing, physical activity agenda and at an operational level, co-operation and interaction between HSL professionals in the region will be encouraged and promoted.