Consultation process with Adventure Activity providers

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Seanie
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Consultation process with Adventure Activity providers

Post by Seanie » Thu Apr 17, 2014 6:05 pm

Dear Sir/Madam,

Please see attached details in relation to a consultation process with Adventure Activity providers on safety and standards in the adventure activities sector, and the development of a register of adventure activity providers.

The Irish Sports Council invites commercial providers of adventure activities to attend one of the consultation meetings taking place in Dublin, Galway, Sligo, Monaghan, Macroom and Carlow to discuss safeguarding, strengthening and promoting good safety practice within the adventure sector, or to make a written submission to the Council by May 9th.

If you are interested in attending one of the consultation meetings please RSVP to [email protected] indicating which venue you can attend.

Regards,
Adventure Activity Working Group


Adventure Consultation,
Irish Sports Council,
Top Floor, Block A,
Westend Office Park, Blanchardstown,
Dublin 15

Tel: +353.1.8608800
Consultation Document - Providers.pdf
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Adventure Activities Working Group: Consultation Process

The Irish Sports Council was established in 1999 under the Irish Sports Council Act and is a statutory authority with responsibility for planning, leading and co-ordinating the sustainable development of competitive and recreational sport in Ireland.

In 2013 Minister of State for Tourism and Sport, Michael Ring T.D. asked the Irish Sports Council to examine the issues associated with safety and standards in the adventure activities sector and the development of a register of adventure activity providers.

In light of the Minister’s request, an Adventure Activities Working Group was established by the Irish Sports Council to examine the issues. This group will make their recommendations to the Minister by mid 2014 on a system to safeguard, strengthen and promote current good practice within the sector and provide assurance to potential clients regarding the safe commercial provision of higher risk adventure activities.

The Minister is keen that consultation takes place with key stakeholders so that we can consider a wide range of views and take account of them in whatever proposals emerge. The consultation with the commercial (1) adventure activities sector is an important part of the Adventure Activities Working Group process.

This consultation process provides an opportunity for the adventure activities sector to consider and comment on the means by which current good practice in the sector might be consistently achieved, and to support the safe and sustainable commercial provision of higher risk adventure activities.

Consultation Process
The consultation process includes a series of adventure activity provider meetings, as well as the opportunity for written submissions.
Consultation meetings:
Location Date Time
  • Four Seasons Hotel, Monaghan Tuesday, May 6th 11 am – 1pm
  • Glasshouse Hotel, Sligo Tuesday, May 6th 6pm - 8pm
  • Maldron Hotel, Oranmore, Co. Galway Wednesday, May 7th 11am - 1pm
  • Castle Hotel, Macroom, Co. Cork Wednesday, May 7th 6pm – 8pm
  • Ashling Hotel, Parkgate St, Dublin 8 Friday, May 9th 10am – 12 noon
  • Seven Oaks Hotel, Carlow Friday, May 9th 3pm – 5pm
Written Submissions:
The Irish Sports council also welcome written submissions about how current good practice in the safe commercial provision of higher risk adventure activities might be supported through legislation. Submissions can be sent up to 9th May to:
Email: [email protected]
Post:
Adventure Consultation,
Irish Sports Council,
Top Floor,
Block A,
Westend Office Park,
Blanchardstown,
Dublin 15

This consultation process will enable adventure activity providers to engage with the Adventure Activities Working Group on the following issues:
  • The current safety good practice within the adventure activities sector.
  • The role of any potential future safety legislation and adventure activity provider register.
  • Which types of activities and providers might be within the scope of any future safety
    legislation.
  • The potential structure and oversight of an adventure activity provider register.
  • The potential additional benefits to the sector which might accrue from such a register.
  • Other relevant issues.
1 - It is proposed that Clubs or individuals taking part in adventure activities will not fall under any potential legislation, rather the focus is on the commercial provision of these activities.

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Seanie
Posts:841
Joined:Sat Jun 30, 2007 4:27 pm

Re: Consultation process with Adventure Activity providers

Post by Seanie » Thu May 29, 2014 4:17 pm

Dear Sir/Madam,

As you may be aware, the Irish Sports Council’s Adventure Activity Working Group recently invited adventure activities providers to partake in a consultation process on safety and standards in the adventure activities sector and the development of a register of adventure activity providers. The consultation process included the participation of 146 stakeholders at six public consultation meetings on May 6th, 7th and 9th . In addition 24 written submissions were received by the Council.

The consultation meetings were very informative and the feedback received and views expressed will greatly assist the Working Group in shaping the proposals to emerge. The Irish Sports Council would like to convey our appreciation to those who contributed to the process, and in particular to those who attended the meetings and submitted written feedback.

Throughout the consultation process there was a general agreement, that the sector largely operated in a safe manner. However, the potential for some providers to operate below an acceptable minimum safety standard, through lack of awareness or intent, was almost universally identified. Throughout the process some additional issues and stakeholder priorities emerged.

The big three issues to emerge from the providers perspective were cost, flexibility and scope. Cost was the single most important factor followed by ensuring that any scheme was sufficiently flexibility so that it did not over-legislate the sector, nor legislate the adventure out of adventure sports. The thinking of a significant proportion of stakeholders was to increase the range of providers within the scope of the legislation, compared to the desire of the Working Group to limit provider inclusion. In general, however, there was a guarded welcome for a registration system if it could be delivered at a low financial and administration cost.

The Working Group will continue to prepare its report for the Minister of State for Tourism and Sport, Michael Ring T.D. with a view to submitting it in early July. The final report to the Minister will be published on the website of the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport in due course.

Regards,
Adventure Activity Working Group


Adventure Consultation,
Irish Sports Council,
Top Floor, Block A,
Westend Office Park, Blanchardstown,
Dublin 15

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