Olwyn Enright (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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Question 552: To ask the Minister for Education and Science her views on the provision of resources for adequate teacher training to support healthy eating and active living; if she will develop and implement such a policy; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3596/08]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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My Department is currently funding initiatives at both Primary and Post Primary levels to train teachers to support healthy eating and active living.

Currently at primary level, there is an Assistant National Co-ordinator working with the Primary Curriculum Support Service (PCSP) who has responsibility for leading a team of 17 Physical Education/Social Personal and Health Education Cuiditheoir who are involved in supporting teachers in schools in the promotion of physical activity and healthy lifestyles. This Co-ordinator also takes responsibility for co-ordinating the Active Schools Awards, another Department of Education and Science initiative which aims to raise the profile of PE and co-curricular physical activity in the context of the Primary PE curriculum and to promote lifelong involvement in sport and physical activity.

At post primary level the Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE) is a part of the post-primary curriculum which aims to support the personal development, health and well-being of young people and helps them create and maintain supportive relationships. Section 9 (d) of the 1998 Education Act places an obligation on schools to promote the social and personal development of students and to provide health education for them. SPHE has been a requirement on the Junior Cycle Curriculum since September 2003, with Circular M11/03 requiring all post-primary schools to timetable SPHE at Junior Cycle.

The implementation of the SPHE curriculum by schools is a very important strand of Government policy in addressing a range of social and health issues covered by a wide range of policies/strategies.

The broader remit of SPHE includes its potential role in health promotion, in whole school policy, in cross-curricular linkages, and its relationship with the Health Promoting School process.