John O'Mahony (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 394: To ask the Minister for Education and Science her plans to allocate funding to secondary schools to provide drugs awareness programmes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8722/08]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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My Department, through substance abuse prevention education in primary and postprimary schools, is committing considerable resources in support of the overall aim of the Government's policy in relation to drugs, which is to provide an effective, integrated response to the problems posed by drug misuse.

Drug prevention education is implemented as part of the Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE) curricula in post-primary schools. The SPHE curriculum is mandatory up to Junior Certificate Level in which substance use is one of 10 modules taught.

The senior cycle Curriculum Framework for SPHE has been agreed by Council. However, Council was of the view that as the implementation of such a framework would present many challenges for schools and the education system, it should, when issued to the DES, be accompanied by comprehensive advice on how the framework should be implemented in schools.

All post-primary schools are invited to inservice training in SPHE each spring and autumn on a regional basis. A selection of SPHE topics are offered to teachers, including substance use education. Health Promotion Officers and Regional Development Officers along with experts in specific areas, such as substance use education are involved in the delivery of this inservice.

The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) SPHE course committee has finalised a Framework SPHE curriculum for Senior Cycle students at post-primary level, and is now in the process of working with a small group of schools looking at how the framework could best be implemented at ground level before finalising advice for the DES on the implementation of the Framework. Both the Framework and the advice on implementation should be approved by Council by June and will subsequently issue to the DES. The evidence available to me from the national SPHE Support Service informs me that the substance misuse education prevention programmes being implemented as an integral part of the SPHE curricula is in line with best international practice.