Karl Dunne has worked in the Sports and Fitness industry for over 30 years. He is the Chief Executive Officer of Ireland Active. Ireland Active is the National Association for Ireland's Leisure, Health and Fitness industry. He is a former international canoeist and was the canoe team manager for the London 2012 Olympic Games. He also set up the Irish  para canoe programme ahead of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.

Karl is a member of the Government's Sports leadership group, which the Minister of Sport chairs. He was also a member of the Department of Sports steering group that developed the National Swimming Strategy. Karl created the Leisure Health and Fitness Skillnet, which has been instrumental in funding the upskilling of fitness professionals in Ireland.

Karl is a member of the the Irish governments Dept of Health steering group which has developed a syllabus to upskill the fitness sector to work with people with chronic disease. Research shows that Personal Exercise (15%) and Swimming (9%) are the two most popular participation sports in Ireland. Karl continually advocates the Irish  government to show that physical activity is the most affordable, cost-effective and high-impact solution to reducing illness and disease.

Karl has lobbied the Irish Government to implement a health and fitness tax credit for all Irish citizens which has now been included in the programme for government.