Mary Upton (Dublin South Central, Labour)
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Question 748: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of primary schools and second level schools that have dedicated physical education halls and gym facilities; the number of primary schools and second level schools that have access to, and use, other State funded PE halls and gym facilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23558/08]

Mary Upton (Dublin South Central, Labour)
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Question 749: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the action he has taken to encourage schools to avail of, or share, local sports facilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23559/08]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 748 and 749 together.

The specific information sought by the Deputy is not readily available. However, the Deputy can be assured that my Department fully recognises the key role of physical exercise within the school environment and continues to respond to the need to improve PE facilities for all pupils attending schools.

My Department's design guidelines for schools include guidance in the provision of PE Halls, general-purpose rooms and outdoor hard play areas such as basketball courts. PE facilities have been provided, where appropriate, as part of my Department's school building programme which, between 2000 and 2006, involved the delivery of over 7,800 projects, with an investment of €2.6 billion and a further €4.5 billion is to be invested under the new National Development Plan 2007-2013. Close to €600m of this will be provided this year alone. This multi-annual funding will enable my Department to continue to take a proactive approach to the provision of modern school accommodation including PE facilities.

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 PE programme. A similar situation with sports halls and outdoor facilities applies at second level. In addition, many schools use adjacent local facilities, including public parks, playing fields and swimming pools. The recommended minimum timeframe set out for PE at primary level is one hour per week. All qualified Primary teachers are qualified to teach the full spectrum of the Primary Curriculum including Physical Education.

Primary schools received €2000 each in PE equipment grants in 2006, at a total cost of €6.5 million. A similar grant of €4,000 per school, at an overall cost of around €3 million, issued to post-primary schools in 2007. In addition, since 2000 my Department has provided in excess of €5.5m in grant-aid to primary schools to facilitate the provision of coaching or mentoring in connection with physical education or to purchase resource materials associated with the provision of physical education. Such materials and equipment would normally have a useful life of several years.

The extent and quality of local sports facilities has been improved dramatically in recent years, with more than €450 million invested by the Government since 1998 in over 5,000 projects through the Sports Capital Programme. This is in addition to the PE, general purpose and outdoor play facilities that have been provided for schools all over the country through the School Building Programme, as outlined above.

The Government recognises that there is a lack of recreational facilities for community use in certain areas which could be met if school premises were made available to the wider community. To encourage schools in this respect, my Department issued a circular to all school authorities in late 2005 urging trustees and Boards of Management to make their facilities available where possible for community education and recreation purposes. Decisions in relation to the use of school facilities remain entirely at the discretion of the school authorities, subject to the condition that the needs of the students attending the school are prioritised in the first instance.

So, through an increased focus on exercise in school and in the community, the Government is working to encourage more children and young people to get active. Indeed, the 'State of the Nation's Children' report published by the Minister for Children recently, found that children in Ireland are doing well on physical activity, ranking second across 32 WHO countries in being physically active for at least 4 hours per week.

Mary Upton (Dublin South Central, Labour)
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Question 750: To ask the Minister for Education and Science when he expects that physical education will be introduced as a State examination subject; the facilities that need to be in place in order to progress this commitment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23560/08]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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In accordance with the Rules and Programme for Secondary Schools, all second-level schools should provide Physical Education as part of the curriculum. The programme that each school plans and delivers should be based on my Department's approved syllabuses and the teaching hours should be registered in the school timetable. The syllabuses have been developed on the basis of a time allocation of two hours per week.

A revised syllabus in Physical Education as a non-examinable subject at Junior Cycle was introduced in post-primary schools in September 2003 and implemented on a phased basis over the period to 2005. No implementation dates have been set as yet for further reforms in this area.

Curriculum support services provide training and school-based support for teachers. School-based support is a very rich form of support and allows the teacher explore the possibilities and limitations of the environment in which they teach. Through modelling of lessons and professional dialogue, the quality of teaching is enhanced and teachers are further enabled to develop their teaching skills. Teachers must also aim to include all students in PE lessons — irrespective of gender, or physical and/or learning deficits. The PE Association of Ireland have been active in organising conferences where teachers can avail of an opportunity to witness the latest thinking in physical education, and my Department also funds programmes on PE through the network of education centres.

This Government has worked hard to improve the opportunities for young people to get physical exercise both in school and in their local communities. In a new school building or refurbishment/extension, PE facilities are included as part of the design. Between 2000 and 2006 a total of 516 large-scale projects were delivered in primary and post-primary schools by my Department as part of a record overall investment of €2.6 billion in modernising primary and post-primary school facilities throughout the country. Many more large-scale projects are under construction or due to go to construction in the near future. New PE equipment such as balancing benches and gym mats are funded as part of any major building programme.

A special PE funding package of €3 million issued to post-primary schools in 2007, providing a grant of €4,000 per school towards the cost of replacing and upgrading PE equipment. This grant was issued, as a once-off measure, to enable schools to replace older equipment such as goalposts, PE mats, benches etc.

So, through an increased focus on exercise in school and in the community, we are working to encourage more children and young people to get active. Indeed, the 'State of the Nation's Children' report published by the Minister for Children recently, found that children in Ireland are doing well on physical activity, ranking second across the 32 WHO countries in being physically active for at least 4 hours per week.