I-PARC (Irish – Physical Activity Research Collaboration) will bring together researchers, policy makers and
practitioners from PA to develop a systematic method for identifying examples of effective PA interventions and
effective implementation strategies. This adheres to the National Implementation Research Network’s formula
for success “Effective Interventions X Effective Implementation Methods X Enabling Context = Socially
Significant Outcomes”2. The National Physical Activity Plan1 provides the enabling context for PA interventions,
however we know little about how to identify effective interventions and even less about effective implementation
strategies applicable to the Irish context. Research question one will identify what is an acceptable, yet evidence-based, method for determining the level
of effectiveness of PA interventions in Ireland. Research methods include a literature review, key-informant
interviews and a 2-stage Delphi process. Iterative co-design will guide the development of a standardised
evaluation framework (SEF) suitable for use by Healthy Ireland and Sport Ireland (the end users). This SEF will
facilitate the end-users in assessing, improving and communicating the effectiveness and usability of their PA
interventions; and it will assist funders and policy-makers in evidence-based decision making for publicly funded
programme development and their subsequent implementation or discontinuation (i.e. Effective Interventions:
NPAP Action 53 and 54).
Research question two aims to identify the barriers to, and facilitators of, successful implementation of PA
interventions in Ireland. Research, guided by the Active Implementation Framework (AIF)3,4, and international
best practice[C1] , will include a literature review, a 2-stage online survey on the correlates of effective
implementation and key informant interviews analysed via thematic analysis. Results will identify effective
implementation criteria, develop recommendations and a framework for sustainable, accountable and an
effective implementation practice. This information will enable knowledge-users and researchers to co-create a
sustainable, accountable and effective implementation infrastructure to move specified NPAP to full
implementation (i.e. Effective Implementation).