Séamus Kirk (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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Question 499: To ask the Minister for Education and Science her views on organising a driver training initiative with a view to incorporating a suitable programme into the school curriculum at post-primary level; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3256/06]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The question of introducing a road safety and driver education syllabus into schools has been examined by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment, NCCA, on foot of a report from a task group set up in 2000 and which included representatives of the Department of Education and Science, the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, the National Safety Council, the Garda Síochána, the Irish Insurance Federation, the Society of the Irish Motor Industry, Rosary College Crumlin, the CCEA Northern Ireland and the NCCA. The NCCA also commissioned a study on driver education in post-primary schools from Dr. Ray Fuller of Trinity College Dublin.

The NCCA, whose role is to advise the Minister for Education and Science on curriculum and assessment issues, recommended that road safety be addressed within the context of social, personal and health education, SPHE, and that driver education, and specifically learning to drive for pupils aged 17, should not become part of the school curriculum. The NCCA noted that this concurred with the practice in other jurisdictions.

At the start of the 2001-02 school year, the National Safety Council, with assistance from my Department, distributed copies of Staying Alive — a road safety resource for transition year and the senior cycle — to all second level schools. This pack contained a wide range of learning opportunities and activities on topics such as personal responsibility and decision-making, environmental issues and risks and rules for road users. A CD-ROM with additional material downloaded from the Internet was included in the pack along with copies of the Rules of the Road. In the preparation of the Staying Alive resources material, views were sought from a range of organisations with interests in the promotion of road safety. Prior to its issue to second level schools, the material was piloted in 20 schools and the response from teachers in those schools was very positive.

Notwithstanding the above, I am aware that my colleague, the Minister for Transport, has very recently announced that a new high level Government road safety group is to be formed. My Department will be represented on the group.

David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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Question 500: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the content of the social, personal and health education module run in schools in conjunction with her Department; the success of this module in improving the mental health of students; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3274/06]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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Social, personal and health education, SPHE, is part of the core curriculum for all pupils in primary schools and in the junior cycle of post-primary schools. The syllabi are available on my Department's website at www.education.ie.

The SPHE curriculum for primary schools offers particular opportunities, in an age-appropriate way, to foster the personal development, health and well-being of the individual child. Through SPHE, pupils are provided with opportunities to develop self-awareness and self-confidence and to explore the feelings and emotions that accompany growing and changing. Pupils identify and discuss the qualities and skills associated with friendship and learn how to treat people with dignity and respect. Their understanding of what it means to be healthy and to have a balanced lifestyle is developed and they are taught the importance of taking some responsibility for their own health. Through SPHE, pupils also learn strategies to cope with worries and difficulties, decision-making and how to resolve conflict.

The SPHE curriculum for the junior cycle focuses on the holistic development of young people to enable them meet the challenges and opportunities presented by life in our world today. It aims to enable students to develop the skills for self-fulfilment and for living in communities; promote self-esteem and self-confidence; develop a framework for responsible decision-making; and promote physical, mental and emotional health and well-being. Four of the ten modules in the junior cycle SPHE curriculum deal specifically with the development of positive mental health. These are: belonging and integrating; self-management — a sense of purpose; communication skills; and emotional health.

Students' health and education are inextricably linked. In SPHE, health is understood as a multidimensional concept that includes not just physical well-being, but also mental, emotional, social and spiritual well-being. SPHE provides students with a unique opportunity to develop the skills and competences to learn about themselves, to care for themselves and others and to make informed decisions about their health, personal lives and social development. SPHE helps students to develop health literacy skills that do and will play an important part in improving the mental health of students.