Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 495: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if she will provide a detailed report on the roll-out of the physical education curriculum programme for national primary and secondary schools here. [9005/06]

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 524: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if she will provide a detailed report of the physical education curriculum programme for national primary and secondary schools here. [9008/06]

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 525: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the steps which are being taken by her Department to promote more sports in the school curriculum. [9009/06]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 495, 524, 525 together.

Physical education and sport, although closely linked, are not synonymous. Sport begins with play and develops through games, competition and challenges. The focus in the physical education curriculum in our schools is on the learner's holistic development, with an emphasis on personal and social development, physical growth, and motor development. Goal-setting, within the curriculum, focuses on individual improvement rather than on winning or being the best. The creation of a positive attitude to sport and physical activity, with the overall aim of promoting long term involvement, is of paramount importance.

Competition in sport contributes to the holistic development of the student, provided that the opportunities presented are such that he or she is progressing towards the achievement of his or her potential. It is government policy to encourage and promote sport for all in schools. The policy of my Department is to facilitate this by means of a broad and balanced physical education curriculum for schools at primary and post-primary levels.

The primary school curriculum was revised in 1999 and is being implemented on a phased basis. Physical education is one of the seven curriculum areas and it will be implemented in all schools from September 2006. Games, which is one of the six strands of the curriculum, encompasses elements of sport. In addition to implementing the prescribed curriculum, schools are also encouraged to devote one day every year to sport for all, whereby an entire day is given over to sporting activities that emphasise participation and co-operation, rather than winning or losing.

To promote sport, many primary schools provide further opportunities for pupils through extracurricular programmes. These may include organising and preparing for inter-school competitions. Often schools are in a position to avail of the services of coaching personnel offered to schools by sporting organisations such as Cumann Lúthchleas Gael, the Football Association of Ireland and the Irish Rugby Football Union. Teachers and parents make an extremely valuable contribution to children's social and physical development through their contribution of time and expertise to extracurricular sporting activities, a fact acknowledged by the ESRI report. School Children and Sport in Ireland, published last year.

At second level, the physical education syllabuses cover all of the main areas of activity regarded as essential to the physical, emotional and social development of the student. Each contains games as a core area of activity. As sports are an integral part of physical education they are dealt with comprehensively in the syllabuses. The phasing in of a revised syllabus at junior cycle level for physical education commenced in September 2003.

All second level schools should offer a physical education programme based on an approved syllabus with teaching hours registered on the school timetable. By participating in these programmes, students can engage in a range of sports and, by doing so, gain an understanding of, and develop technical skill in, these sports. As at primary level, the majority of second level schools have strong extra-curricular programmes for sport. The skills, understandings and attitudes developed within the formal programmes in physical education provide a foundation for these sporting activities.

I believe that initiatives such as the Active School Awards are very effective in promoting sports in our schools. The awards, which are currently taking place both at primary and post primary level, aim to acknowledge schools that are achieving to a particularly high standard in the provision of opportunities for students to engage in sport and physical activity, both in terms of curricular and extra-curricular provision. The emphasis of these awards is on inclusion and participation by as many students as possible as well as the provision of a quality, balanced programme of physical education.