Olwyn Enright (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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Question 125: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the level of grant aid available to primary schools to assist in their provision of physical education programmes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13313/06]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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In October 2000, my Department introduced a physical education grant for all primary schools. Since the introduction of the scheme, my Department provided in excess of €5.5 million in grant aid to primary schools under this scheme to enable schools provide coaching or mentoring in connection with physical education or to purchase resource materials 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.

I would also point out, however, that 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, €57.14, per pupil to €145.58 with effect from 1 January 2006, an increase of almost 155%.