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Mr. Charlie Flanagan T.D., Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, today announced that 30 local authorities are participating in National Recreation Week 2014.

National Recreation Week 2014 will run from Monday, 2nd until Sunday, 8th June. The focus for this year’s events is on giving young people an opportunity to participate in recreation activities they have never before tried. Announcing National Recreation Week 2014 Minister Flanagan stated:

“National Recreation Week is underpinned by a recognition of the importance of recreational activities for the physical and mental wellbeing of all children. This designated week will provide opportunities for young people to try new activities they may not have tried before while also increasing public awareness of the importance of recreation for teenagers.”

National Recreation Week 2014 will involve a wide range of sporting and cultural activities. Among the events funded by DCYA are beach cricket, orienteering, outdoor pursuits and swimming for young people with disabilities, hip hop and musical theatre dance classes, film production, a multi-sports taster programme, a teen play-day, battle of the bands, and tree-top walking.

Minister Flanagan stated “The scope and variety of activities planned throughout the country provide good examples of the type of recreational activity for teenagers that can be provided at local level, and I hope that as many young people as possible get to take part this year”.

Events for National Recreation Week are funded by the Department of Children and Youth Affairs and are supported by a network of key Local Authority managers and staff responsible for the local delivery of play and recreation services in communities across the country. This network was established as the Local Authority Play and Recreation Network in 2012 to introduce a more coordinated and interagency approach to achieving the main goals of the play and recreation policies at both national and local level.

One of the national outcomes in the recently launched Better Outcomes: Brighter Futures - The National Policy Framework for Children and Young People (2014-2020) is the active and healthy physical and mental wellbeing of all children. One of the specific aims of realising this outcome is that all children will enjoy play, recreation, sport, arts culture and nature.