John O'Mahony (Mayo, Fine Gael)

I agree with the comments made by everybody here regarding the importance of sport. As someone who was a teacher for 30 years, I realise the importance of this. Deputy Mitchell made the point about the use of facilities in schools for communities. It is a hugely important and burning matter and raises a number of issues, such as the question of insurance. I do not know whether this has been, or can be, overcome. There is also a fear among school principals that if their facilities are opened up, they will be closing up at 10 p.m. or 11 p.m. The idea is fantastic but the process needs to be thought through to make it a win-win for everybody.

For too many years, physical education has been a joke in the sense it is supposed to be part of the curriculum but is pushed out because of the points race and the pressure on everybody and is regarded as an interference. That attitude must change. My experience of working with young people, both on the sports field and in the education field, has shown me that the disciplines they learn in sport can be carried into their academic careers and that they can cope better with their academic careers by letting off steam or their frustrations in sport. I do not see these things as problems, rather, I see them as huge opportunities. However, physical education has not been taken seriously up to now and there is a great opportunity for the Government and all of us involved to do this now.

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