A lack of facilities and money are the main barriers stopping teenagers getting involved in recreational activities, according to a new report.
The survey of 940 people aged between 12 and 18 years of age was commissioned by the Office of the Minister for Children as part of a consultation process to inform a National Teenage Recreation Policy.
It showed some 24 per cent of young people reported a lack of facilities as the biggest barrier towards participation.
This was closely followed by the cost of joining in activities which 23 per cent claimed was also a major barrier.
At the launch, Brian Lenihan, the Minister for Children, said: "Teenagers want somewhere to get together with their friends.
"They want a place that is safe, warm, indoors, affordable, relaxed and legitimate; a place where they can have a sense of ownership, where they can go in their free time and not get into trouble."
The biggest motivations to involvement in activity included friends, enjoyment and keeping fit.
"The success of youth cafes and drop-in centres feature strongly in the public consultation, which confirms the fact that as teenagers grow older, they become more interested in unstructured recreation," Mr Lenihan said.
"I am pleased to see that youth clubs and sports organisations, particularly the GAA, also emerged strongly in the examples of recreation that worked well."