Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael)
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Question 761: To ask the Minister for Education and Science his views on introducing the proposals from the Order of Malta Ireland that mandatory first aid training be introduced in transition year at secondary school; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27458/08]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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My Department has no plans to introduce mandatory first aid training for Transition Year students in post-primary schools.

Personal safety is addressed in a variety of ways in the primary and post-primary curricula. Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE) which is compulsory for all students up to the end of junior cycle aims to develop students' skills for keeping safe and to make students aware of appropriate responses to various threats to personal safety. This provides schools with opportunities to prioritise first aid if they consider this to meet the needs of their students.

A programme in Social, Personal and Health Education for senior cycle is currently being developed by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment. In this context, a draft curriculum framework has been published for consultation.

The Health Services Executive collaborates with my Department and the Department of Health and Children in supporting the delivery of SPHE in schools.

In other subjects such as home economics, the sciences, the technologies and physical education students learn how to protect themselves from harm and how to treat minor injuries.

Many schools already offer modules on first aid to Transition Year students. These may be delivered by organisations such as the Red Cross, the Order of Malta or St John's Ambulance or by teachers who are qualified in first aid.