Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 65: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of primary schools with access to dedicated sporting facilities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13338/06]

Olivia Mitchell (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 146: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of secondary schools with access to a dedicated sporting facility; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13337/06]

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

I propose to take Questions Nos. 65 and 146 together.

The information is not readily available in the format requested by the Deputy. I assure the Deputy, however, that my Department fully recognises the crucial role of physical exercise within the school environment and continues to respond to the need to improve sporting facilities and in particular, indoor facilities. As a consequence of increased levels of funding for school accommodation, which this Government has provided since taking up office, major capital projects at both primary and second level schools require the provision of adequate sporting facilities, providing that the site is of sufficient size or where a new school on a greenfield site is being built. This extends to the provision of both PE halls-GP areas and the provision of hard play areas and where site conditions allow playing pitches.

A comprehensive equipment schedule is included in the funding package for such facilities, ranging from table tennis sets to netball and indoor soccer equipment.

Regarding specific sports equipment grants, my Department has provided in excess of €5.5 million in grant aid to primary schools specifically for this purpose to enable them to provide coaching or mentoring in connection with physical education or to purchase resource materials associated with the provision of physical education. In addition, all primary schools receive an annual minor works grant from my Department and it is open to these school management authorities to use this devolved grant for the purchase of physical education equipment provided it is not required for more urgent works. My Department also considers applications for additional grant aid for such equipment where schools can demonstrate that the minor works grant funding is insufficient for this purpose.

The position in relation to PE facilities in primary schools generally is that the PE curriculum has been designed on the basis that facilities in schools may vary. Many primary schools have a general purpose room and practically all schools have outdoor play areas which are used for teaching different aspects of the physical education programme. In addition, many schools use adjacent local facilities, including public parks, playing fields and swimming pools.

Applications for the provision of PE or sports facilities in existing schools are considered in the context of all other applications on hand for capital investment, for example, applications for new schools; refurbishment projects; extensions; new sites; remediation programmes and so on. This will be done in the context of available resources and the published criteria for prioritising school building projects.