Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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My Department recognises the importance of a healthy lifestyle for all children. The Primary Curriculum Framework was launched in March 2023 and draws on an extensive body of national and international research and extensive consultation, including with primary school-aged children. It outlines five broad curriculum areas one of which is the area of Well-being. Well-being incorporates PE and SPHE (Social, Personal and Health Education) and the time allocations for this area in the new curriculum has increased to 2.5 hours weekly for infant classes and 3 hours weekly for first to sixth class.

The work to develop a new curriculum specification for Well-being at Primary level, including SPHE, is being undertaken currently by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment, or NCCA. The draft specification developed by the NCCA is intended to be a platform for children to develop as engaged citizens who recognise the importance of leading healthy, active, and sustainable lifestyles. The draft contains a strand unit on Motivation for Healthy Living, which addresses positive choices to nurture well-being, including choices related to healthy eating. The public consultation on the draft specification, which commenced in March 2024, will run until June 2024, with the intention of its being introduced in schools in the 2025/2026 school year.

Furthermore, the new framework has introduced seven key competencies, one of which is “Being Well”. The competencies enable and foster deep learning while also contributing to children’s holistic development. As part of the “Being Well” competency children are helped to become healthy through physical activity, food, self-care, and interaction with nature.

My Department has also significantly increased its financial commitment to Agri Aware’s Incredible Edibles programme, a healthy eating initiative for primary school pupils. The programme is also supported by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and the Department of Health. It encourages schools across the country to grow carrots, lettuce, potatoes, strawberries, turnips and herbs. Schools are supplied with grow packs, activity sheets and videos containing everything needed to grow these foods.

With regards to the School Meals Programme, the objective is to provide regular, nutritious food to children to support them in taking full advantage of the education provided to them. The Programme is an important component of policies to encourage school attendance and extra educational achievement. Following the expansion of the Programme in recent years, some 2,600 schools and organisations, covering 443,000 children are now eligible for funding.

The School Meals Programme falls under the aegis of my colleague, Minister Heather Humphreys T.D. in the Department of Social Protection, and can be contacted at this email address: School.meals@welfare.ie.