John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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Question 434: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the person who has been given responsibility for addressing the recommendations of the 1995 report on Occupational Health and Safety in Education by the Health Service Authority advisory committee; the progress which has been made to date in implementing these recommendations; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17078/06]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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Question 435: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the progress which has been made in developing the mainstreaming of occupational health and safety in education and training, as called on by the 2003 Rome Declaration to all EU Member States; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17079/06]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 434 and 435 together.

The 2003 Rome Declaration recommended that by 2010 all pupils leaving school in EU Member States should have had at least 8 hours of occupational health and safety training as part of their education. In Ireland, health and safety issues are dealt with as a core part of the Social Personal and Health Education programme, which is mandatory in primary schools and in junior cycle in second level schools. The programme includes a specific strand unit on Safety and Protection. Through exploring safety and protection children are encouraged to develop an increasing sense of personal responsibility for their own safety and that of others, and to make informed decisions about their health, personal lives, and social development. The personal safety module in junior cycle deals specifically with road and fire safety and accident prevention at school and in the home. In the overall programme, issues such as personal safety, physical and emotional health, relationships and sexuality, substance abuse are also included.

Health and safety are also in-built elements of such subjects as Home Economics (food science and nutrition, preparation and processing of food, safe and hygienic practices and safety awareness) the Science subjects (use of safety equipment, recognising hazards and performing laboratory procedures safely) and in the Technology subjects. In Business, the issue of the social and ethical responsibilities of business, regulatory, environmental, insurance and risk issues are covered. The Leaving Certificate Applied Programme includes a specific Health and Safety unit as part of the vocational preparation and guidance aspects of the programme. The National Centre for Technology in Education provides advice and resources to schools, teachers and parents regarding Internet Safety.

My Department has published a number of documents in regard to safety in school laboratories. These include Safety in School Science in 1996 and updated in 2001. In addition a further circular in the matter was issued to all schools in March 2004.

A review of Occupational Health and Safety in the Technologies in Post Primary Schools was published jointly by the State Claims Agency and my Department in 2005, and sets out a range of recommendations as to how the issue of health and safety can be further progressed in second level schools. Audit checklists for management of occupational health and safety risk in schools, and for workshops, a Machinery Risk Assessment Tool, a draft health and safety plan and guidelines for School Safety Committees are also included in the report.

A €40m investment package for the technology subjects, to address health and safety concerns and to provide for updated syllabi was also announced in December 2005 when I launched the report. The funds will enable a new subject in Technology at senior cycle, as a progression from junior cycle, together with a revised syllabus in Design and Communications Graphics to be implemented in schools with effect from 2007. Revised syllabi have also been developed by the NCCA in Leaving Certificate Engineering Technology (formerly Engineering) and Architectural Technology (formerly Construction) which will be implemented as soon as possible thereafter. These syllabi have a greatly strengthened emphasis on health and safety and sustainable development issues. A team of trainers is currently being recruited to provide in-service training for teachers on the revised syllabi. This will include the health and safety aspects of provision.

The recommendations in the most recent report cover a range of areas such as equipment and resourcing, management in schools, teacher training, and curriculum and examinations, which are being progressed by the Building and Planning, Teacher Education and Qualifications and Curriculum units of my Department.