Paul Gogarty (Dublin Mid West, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 38: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the reason the physical education and sports grant continues to be withheld in view of increasing levels of obesity in schools; her plans to tackle this problem from an exercise, diet and sponsorship point of view; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39584/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

My Department has provided in excess of €5.5 million in grant aid to primary schools to enable them to provide coaching, mentoring or purchase resource materials and equipment associated with the provision of physical education. Materials and equipment purchased by schools in previous years will generally be available to them for subsequent years. In addition, schools may use their general capitation funding to support the implementation of curricula including physical education.

Since 1997 the standard rate of capitation grant has been increased from £45 or €57.14 per pupil to €133.58 with effect from 1 January 2005. The grant is being further increased by €12 with effect from 1 January 2006, an increase of almost 155% in the period. The question of a further grant will be kept under review as part of the normal Estimates process in the coming years.

Our schools promote, support and encourage healthy eating and physical exercise in a range of ways. Physical education is part of the curriculum at primary and at post-primary level and plays a key role not just in giving students an opportunity to exercise during the school day but also in encouraging a positive attitude towards physical activity which students will hopefully carry with them into adult life.

With regard to educating students about making good food choices, a curriculum in social, personal and health education, SPHE, is mandatory for all primary students and its implementation is also being assisted by a full-time support service. Health and well-being along with food and nutrition are two areas dealt with under the "taking care of my body" unit of that curriculum. The objective is that by fifth and sixth class, pupils should be enabled to realise that they, as individuals, have some responsibility for adopting a healthy balanced diet and for taking regular and appropriate exercise.

All second level schools have been required to provide SPHE as part of the junior cycle curriculum since September 2003. The aims of this programme include preparing students for responsible decision making and promoting their physical, mental and emotional health and well-being.

Quite apart from curricular provision, schools can implement measures to encourage physical activity during school breaks and schools already play a major role in promoting the involvement of students in sporting activities in the wider community. Sports organisations such as the Gaelic Athletic Association, Basketball Ireland and the Football Association of Ireland, FAI, provide extensive opportunities for schools to participate in sport.

Together, the above initiatives ensure that children not only get opportunities to exercise at school but also learn about balanced nutrition and making good food choices. I believe that schools are playing their part in terms of promoting a healthy diet and adequate physical exercise for children. However, it is important to remember that children spend just 20% of their waking hours at school so schools can only do so much with regard to promoting exercise and healthy eating and the main role must rest with parents.