Fiona O'Loughlin (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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379. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of schools by county in listed buildings that have no dedicated physical education hall and are maintained by the OPW; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46492/17]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy is aware, my Department provides funding for the day to day maintenance costs of schools in the free education system.  In that regard, my Department is not aware of any schools being maintained by the OPW in the circumstances as referred to by the Deputy.

Fiona O'Loughlin (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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380. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the schools that have and have not got free drinking water for pupils respectively, by county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46493/17]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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My Department is not in receipt of information from schools that they do not have a tap drinking water supply.  Should a school find itself in this position it may apply to my Department for funding to address the issue either under my Department's Emergency Works Grant Scheme or the Summer Works Scheme.  At primary level, schools may use their minor works grant.  As a matter of course, a tap drinking water supply is provided in all new school buildings and extension projects.

If the Deputy is aware of any school without a tap drinking water supply, if she makes the details available to me I will ask officials to examine the matter.

Fiona O'Loughlin (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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381. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the schools that have vending machines; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46494/17]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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My Department is active in the area of promotion of health and wellbeing in schools.  The issue of promoting healthy eating is addressed in schools through subjects such as Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE), and Home Economics as well as in Physical Education.  The aim is to equip students with such skills and knowledge to enable them to make appropriate choices for healthy lifestyles.  Schools are strongly encouraged to have a formal healthy eating policy that has been developed in consultation with students and parents. My Department issued a circular to all post primary schools in September 2015 on the Promotion of Healthy Lifestyles in Post Primary Schools (circular number 0051/2015) and to all primary schools in February 2016 (circular number 0013/2016).

My Department does not collect data on the schools that have vending machines.  However, findings from the 2015 Lifeskills survey show that virtually every primary school stated that they do not facilitate the sale of fizzy drinks, sweets and crisps in school, either through vending machines or a school shop. This is the same response as in 2012.

92% of primary schools reported that they had a healthy eating policy in place. This is similar to the level reported in 2012. 3% reported that they were in the process of developing a healthy eating policy, and 5% reported having no healthy eating policy in place.

99% reported that healthy lunches for pupils are promoted by the school. Two per cent of schools reported that they provide an on-site facility for selling fresh fruit to pupils.

Some 27% of Post Primary schools reported having a vending machine or school shop which sells ‘junk food’. (The Healthy Ireland Healthy Food for Life food pyramid defines this type of food as that which is high in fat, sugar and salt.). This represents an improvement on the position in 2012 when 30% of schools were in this category, and in 2009 when 35% of schools in this category. Some 74% of those schools that responded have a facility for the sale of fresh fruit. This is a significant improvement on the position reported in 2009 and 2012 when 64% of schools had such a facility in place.