Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)

Promoting physical fitness and supporting the delivery of physical education in schools is a matter for my colleague the Minister for Education and Science.

All physical education instructors within the Defence Forces are fully engaged in the training process. Furthermore, the robust physical fitness training programme applied to Defence Forces training is not comparable or suitable for application in a school environment. I understand from my colleague the Minister for Education and Science that the pre-service training of all primary teachers is designed to equip them to teach all aspects of the curriculum, including physical education. At second level, PE is provided by specialist physical education teachers who have been trained to promote the physical, mental, emotional and social development of young people in an age-appropriate way through the medium of physical activity. My colleague also advises me that continuing support is also available on an ongoing basis for practising teachers through the curriculum support services at primary and second level and that it is not considered necessary therefore to seek the input of the Defence Forces to supplement the work of schools in this area.

The role of physical education instructors within the Defence Forces is to ensure that Defence Forces personnel attain the level of fitness required of them in the context of filling the roles are assigned to them, here and on overseas missions. As the Defence Forces are required to maintain a state of readiness to attend to any task that may be assigned, there is an onus to maintain an appropriate level of physical fitness at all times.

Physical fitness contributes significantly to the effectiveness and general health of individuals in the Defence Forces. Personnel who are unfit reduce operational effectiveness, put themselves at greater risk of injury and detract from the overall performance of the Defence Forces.

Physical education and physical fitness has a key role to play in the context of the Defence Forces as it contributes to fitness, teamwork, leadership, self-discipline, determination, co-ordination, courage, competitive spirit and military ethos. It plays a role in recruitment and retention and in many instances provides excellent positive public visibility of the Defence Forces.

In this context it is worth noting that 19 different sporting disciplines are played at unit and brigade level within the Defence Forces.

In addition confidence and adventure, training in the Defence Forces makes an important contribution to the spirit, morale, personal development and ultimately, operational effectiveness of the individual.

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