Jimmy Deenihan
Question:100 Mr. Deenihan asked the Minister for Education if he has any plans to introduce a special programme on alcohol abuse among young people in our primary and post-primary schools.
Written Answers. - Alcohol Abuse.
The existing primary school curriculum already affords teachers adequate scope for dealing with such topics as alcohol abuse which forms part of the subject matter of the Health Education aspect of Physical Education and I am satisfied that teachers made every effort to instruct children on the development of responsible attitudes towards alcohol.
The Deputy will be aware that the Primary Curriculum Review body recommended that Health Education be included in the Curriculum and on a cross curricular basis. The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment has been asked to advise on the curriculum for primary schools with particular reference to curriculum developments arising from the Review body's recommendations. The matter of health education will receive significant attention in the forthcoming Green Paper.
My Department, in co-operation with the Department of Health, started a development project over a year ago at post-primary level, on Education about Substance Abuse. It is proposed to disseminate the results of the project, including educational resource materials, to all post-primary schools when the development phase of the Project is completed in about a year or so.
In addition my Department has co-operated with various agencies, public and voluntary, in supporting both primary and post-primary schools in the development of programmes on alcohol abuse.
The National Parents' Council, Post-Primary, in co-operation with school authorities and teaching staffs has, in each of the last two years, organised a Week of Alcohol Awareness, with the objective of creating an awareness of the dangers of alcohol abuse among adults and young people.