Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 1171: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the progress made in regard to the commitment given in the programme for Government to provide a dedicated fund for investment in physical education facilities for schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29429/09]

Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 1173: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the progress made in regard to the commitment given in the programme for Government to provide physical education equipment grants to schools every three years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29431/09]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 1171 and 1173 together.

The Government is committed to promoting appropriate levels of exercise for our children and young people – both in their communities and at school. In a new school building or refurbishment/extension, PE facilities are included as an intrinsic part of the design.

A special PE funding package of €6.5 million issued in 2006 to primary schools, and in 2007 a similar package of €3 million issued to post-primary schools. 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. At the same time, PE, general purpose and outdoor play facilities have been provided for schools all over the country through the School Building Programme.

Expenditure on PE equipment and PE facilities in schools will arise for consideration in the context of the funding available for my Department's multi-annual School Building and Modernisation Programme.

Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 1172: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the progress made in regard to the commitment given in the programme for Government to make physical education mandatory at second level and put a revised PE curriculum for senior cycle students in place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29430/09]

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, supported by a comprehensive programme of professional development for teachers. No date was agreed for implementation at senior cycle, and issues concerning the inclusion of PE as an examination subject at Leaving Certificate level remain to be addressed. In the meantime, the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment made proposals for a fundamental re-structuring of senior cycle into subjects, short courses and transition units. The proposals included the provision of PE as a subject, and the inclusion of a short course in Sports Studies. It was considered that the inclusion of PE as both a subject and Sports Studies short course could only be examined within the broader context of plans for senior cycle reform generally.

The Council has continued to undertake further analysis and development work with schools on the issue of senior cycle reform. It currently has a specialist committee working on a syllabus for Leaving Certificate Physical Education and will have a draft available for consultation with schools towards the end of the current year. When revised proposals are submitted to my Department, the implementation implications will be examined in the context of the overall priorities and resources available to the education sector at that stage.

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, and 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 second 'State of the Nation's Children' report launched recently by the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs found that children in Ireland are doing well on physical activity, ranking first across the 41 participating countries in being physically active for at least 4 hours per week.