This study advances policy research by providing a systematic, organisation-focused mapping of the Irish physical education, physical activity and youth sport policy landscape. It identifies the key policymaking bodies responsible for developing, co-ordinating and implementing policy, and uses a comprehensive content-map analysis of 82 policy documents from 18 governmental departments, state agencies and national governing bodies. The findings reveal a predominantly top-down policymaking approach, along with notable fragmentation and misalignment across the sector. The combined deductive–inductive analysis offers a nuanced view of explicit policy alignment and the extent to which key domains are recognised or addressed, exposing structural gaps that may impede coordinated action. These insights carry significant implications for policymakers and practitioners, underscoring the need for more coherent policy development, stronger cross-sectoral collaboration and more efficient implementation.
The dense policy environment surrounding physical education, physical activity and youth sport in Ireland creates overlaps, inefficiencies and implementation gaps. Although links exist across domains, greater cross-sectoral coordination and policy alignment are required to enhance coherence and impact. Addressing inconsistencies in policy recognition will support a more integrated and aligned approach to physical education, physical activity and youth sport.
Grogan, M., MacPhail, A., Costa, J., & O’Keeffe, B. (2025). A content map analysis of the national policy landscape in physical education, physical activity and youth sport in Ireland. Sport, Education and Society, 1–16. https://doi.org/10.1080/13573322.2025.2588637
Mairéad Grogan is a postgraduate student in the Department of Physical Education and Sport Sciences UL.
Contact: grogan.mairead@ul.ie Follow on X: @grogan_mairead ResearchGate, Linked-In
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