Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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Question 24: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills the programmes she has in place to educate schools in relation to the effects of drugs; if these programmes involve students' parents; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46047/10]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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Social Personal and Health Education forms a mandatory part of the curriculum in primary schools and in junior cycle. The overall aim is to help develop students' self confidence and self-esteem, and promote the skills for living, for responsible decision making and for mental, physical and emotional well-being. Substance use education is included at primary level as part of the "safety and protection" and "taking care of my body" strand units, and is a specific module in the curriculum at post primary level.

It is set out in the Primary SPHE Curriculum for schools that an SPHE programme is most effective when it is based on consistency of approach and where the responsibility is shared by parents, teachers, children, Board of Management, health professionals and relevant members of the community. Close consultation with the partners, including parents, is seen as an essential element in the planning process and in regular reviews of the programme. This partnership approach helps to ensure that children are provided with a consistent experience in SPHE and are able to make connections between life at home, in the school and in the community. A similar approach is advocated in the Post-Primary SPHE Curriculum, advising that schools need well-structured continuing links with the lives of the students outside of schools, and that these links can provide parents with strategies for supporting the work of the school in its SPHE programme as well as helping teachers to prioritise particular SPHE modules.

The implementation of these programmes in schools is supported by the Professional Development Service for Teachers which provides training, advice and support to schools. The second level support service is operated jointly with the Health Sector. A range of resources are available to support the programmes. These include the Walk Tall Programme at primary level, On My Own Two Feet at post- primary level, the Teacher Guidelines for SPHE developed by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment, a Substance Misuse Prevention Information Booklet for schools and parents, Guidelines for Developing a School Substance Use Policy, including a policy template, and links and references to relevant websites.

The guidelines provided to schools require that a committee is established representing the school board of management, principal, staff, students, and parents to develop a school's draft substance abuse policy, and that the draft policy is circulated as widely as possible for feedback, including to parents, before being finalised. A sample policy is also included on my Department's website which urges that schools organise information sessions for parents on the issue of substance abuse. Many schools organise such sessions on a regular basis.

There is scope for schools to offer alcohol and substance misuse programmes within the Transition Year programme. In addition to the above, the Department has, since 2001, provided funding for a large number of mainstreamed projects in local drugs task force areas. These projects, through a variety of programmes and activities, seek to encourage young people not to engage in drug-taking.

Most of these projects are administered by three VECs - Dublin City, Dublin County and Dun Laoghaire - while a small number are funded directly by the Department. With effect from January 2011, 21 of these projects will, by agreement and with a transfer of DES funding, become the responsibility of the Office of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs (OMCYA). These projects mainly provide for the employment of Youth Workers and Project Leaders and so will complement other youth projects funded by the OMCYA. Many projects currently receive allocations under a number of OMCYA funding streams, accordingly the transfer should enhance the services provided and minimise duplication of provision. DES will continue to administer the remaining projects.

Eighteen VECs also administer over 70 interim funded projects in drug task force areas around the country which are funded by the Department of Community, Equality and Gaeltacht Affairs.

Outside of education settings, there is also a wide range of awareness-raising and prevention programmes in place to combat drug and alcohol misuse which are primarily the responsibility of, and are funded through, the Health Service Executive. The HSE provides information on drug and alcohol abuse for students and parents through the website www.drugs.ie.