Alan Dillon (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister. I understand that Project Ireland 2040 commits to spending €8.8 billion on primary and post-primary school buildings. It is welcome that this ensures students in all post-primary schools will have access to appropriate facilities, such as PE halls. It is hugely important that we ensure PE halls and the modernisation programmes are rolled out as quickly as possible and that we have upgrades and refurbishments to the existing school stock. Those should be prioritised in coming years.

I listened to a recent Joe Molloy interview with the Taoiseach on the idea of a dedicated PE teacher in primary schools to help Ireland fight childhood obesity. The structure of PE at primary level needs a focus. It has been historically problematic and in order to tackle childhood obesity, I would like to see the Department take the lead on this.

See this speech in context