Equipment sharing ‘BoxUp’ comes to parks

Dublin City Council is delighted to announce that it will shortly begin installing new, free, equipment sharing lockers in parks.

‘boxup’ tackles inequality in sport by providing free access to sporting equipment for all.

8 of Sport ireland’s local Sports Partnerships (lSPs) are currently working with their respective local Authorities to bring ‘boxup’ to parks and communities across 5 cities in ireland: Dublin, Cork, limerick, Galway and Waterford.

The Active Cities project is focused on getting those who are least active in our society active. in taking a multi-sectoral approach, the project is seeking to reduce the barriers to participation in physical activity, increase access and enhance the choice and opportunities available for all to take part.

Criteria for IVF published by HSE

MiniStEr for Health Stephen Donnelly has announced full public funding for a cycle of iVF for eligible couples from September.

This will be the first time in the State that Assisted Human reproduction (AHr) treatment is publicly funded.

Speaking on rtÉ, Minister Donnelly said: “For too many couples in ireland it simply hasn’t been affordable and so what we’re doing is providing full funding for eligible couples for three cycles of iui (intrauterine insemination) and one cycle of iVF.”

The Cabinet was updated on the plan and it follows on from the €10m allocated in the budget for iVF funding.

An age limit will be in place for a woman up to 41 years of age and men up to 60, he said.

He said the plans have come through an expert group, similar to the nHS in the uK and large parts of Europe.

“The rational around age from the expert group is that there is a very significant reduction in the chances of success as a woman moves from around her mid 30s up into her 40s,” he added. “So, really it’s about targeting the resources where there is the greatest chance of success for couples.” to be eligible individuals must be ordinarily resident in the State and referred through their GP to a regional fertility hub. introducing ‘boxup’ to ireland is a collaborative initiative being developed across the cities as part of this project and aims to expand the opportunities for people of all ages and abilities to lead healthier lifestyles through increased access to free sport and leisure equipment. Over the past nine months, the 8 lSPs have been working with the Swiss-based company, ‘boxup’, to bring the first lockers to ireland. There are currently over 60 lockers in operation across Switzerland and France, with many other European Countries expected to come online over the coming months.

Eligible couples must have no living children from the existing relationship and include at least one partner with no living child.

The lockers, which are solar powered, contain a variety of equipment based on the facilities and amenities in that area, and all equipment can be easily accessed through the use of a free app.