Brian O'Shea (Waterford, Labour)
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Question 215: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if the weight of schoolbags could be reduced in order that more children would be inclined to walk to school thereby partaking in exercise which would be in line with the recommendation of the recently published report on obesity for 30 minutes per day exercise; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17592/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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A working group was set up in autumn 1997 to examine the potential problems caused by the weight of heavy schoolbags, including the possible implications for the health of pupils.

The group's report, which was presented in July 1998, acknowledged that many of the solutions belong at local school level and one of the main recommendations related to the need to heighten the awareness of the potential health hazards posed by excessively heavy schoolbags. In this regard, the Department initiated an awareness raising campaign by disseminating the report, with an accompanying circular, to all primary and post-primary schools. Furthermore, information leaflets and posters were also distributed to all schools, highlighting the potential health hazard of heavy schoolbags and outlining a range of local measures that could be adopted to alleviate the problem. It is a matter for each individual school to choose those measures that would be most suited to its individual needs.

Arrangements are currently being made by the Department to issue a further circular on the weight of schoolbags to all schools.