Charlie McConalogue (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)
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576. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the cost of employing a physical education teacher and the guidelines her Department provides on the time to be given each week to physical education in primary schools and in secondary schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46241/15]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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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 junior cycle and senior cycle programme that each school plans and delivers should be based on the Department's approved syllabuses and the teaching hours should be registered on the school timetable. The Rules and Programme provide that a basic minimum of two hours per week is required to implement the programme.

A minimum of one hour PE per week is recommended for all primary school pupils.

A 2012 Lifeskills Survey of Primary Schools found that 97% of Primary Schools for their Third to Sixth Classes provide at least 1 hour per week and approximately 30% provide more than 1 hour. 95% of First and Second Class provide 1 hour or more and 88% of Infant Classes (with their shorter school day) provide 1 hour or more.

The average cost of a post-primary teacher employed before January 2011, is €48,822 pa.