Ireland Active welcomes the new draft programme for government published yesterday. The document includes a commitment to encourage gym membership and active participation in sport and exercise.
Karl Dunne, chief executive of Ireland Active, commented on the positive development:
“On behalf of the leisure, health and fitness industry, I am thrilled that the new Programme for Government includes a commitment to introduce a tax credit aimed at encouraging gym memberships and active participation in sports and exercise. I look forward to continuing to collaborate with the government to implement this vital initiative that Ireland Active has been championing for many years.”
The news follows the publication last year of a survey by Ireland Active and conducted by REDC on the proposal for the introduction of a personal tax relief for gym and swimming pool memberships. The key finding from this research was that nearly 3 in 10 (28%) of adults surveyed indicated they would likely take up gym or swimming pool memberships if tax relief were available. This translates to approximately 851,000 adults across Ireland who currently don’t exercise in gyms/swimming pools could benefit from this initiative.
