Vol. 500 No. 2
45 Mr Gilmore asked the Minister for Education and Science when the promised new drugs prevention programme for all primary schools will be introduced; the staff, finance and resources to be allocated for the programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3710/99]
The substance misuse prevention education programme for primary schools, Walk Tall, is being introduced to all primary schools on a phased basis during the two years 1999 and 2000. The programme, including detailed educational resource materials for each class level, is being introduced to schools as staff seminars are held for the teachers.
Dissemination of information has already begun. Up to Easter, it is planned to target the main urban areas of Dublin, Cork, Waterford, Limerick and Dundalk. Three information days have already been held for school representatives in the Dublin area to explain the programme and to facilitate the arrangements for the staff seminars. Further such meetings are planned for other areas over the next few weeks. In addition, since the beginning of this year, 29 staff seminars for teachers have already been held – 19 in Dublin and ten in Cork. The programme is being introduced in the main urban areas in the earlier part of the year but will be extended to other areas as the year progresses and as the process of dissemination accelerates.
A support team has been put in place. This includes a national project officer and five teacher trainers. One further teacher trainer will be seconded to the team in the near future. There is a project management group within my Department, including one senior psychologist who is the project leader.
The target number of schools in 1999 for introducing the programme is approximately 1,500 – 50 per cent of all primary schools, bearing in mind that 150 schools have already introduced the programme during the pilot development phase.
It is estimated that about 550 staff seminars are required in 1999 to achieve the target of having the programme in 1,500 schools. This takes account of combining staff from small and medium sized schools for individual seminars. The support team will be available for some follow up support visits to education centres and some schools and this will assist in reviewing progress.
Provision of £1 million for the dissemination over the two year period has been included within the social inclusion funding for the Department of Education and Science announced by the Minister for Finance in his Budget Statement. The provision in 1999 is £500,000. In addition, the educational resource materials mentioned are being provided free to schools as the programme is introduced. The overall cost of preparation, designing and printing these materials in the quantities required was £142,000 in 1998.
I must confess an interest in this since I was a sociologist in a previous life. Given the manner in which the dissemination of information concerning the drug culture has happened in Europe, is there not a basis for a sociological component to the design of phase one or phase two?
Is the sum which the Minister gave as the total cost for phase one and the envisaged cost for phase two not very small in relation to the need which exists? Has he planned to significantly increase the support available at the end of phase one should the evidence come back from the first projects? How is this linked to such designed in- service training as is necessary for accurate drug information?
The funding is more than adequate. The pilot project was carried out over a number of years but it was lying around to an extent. It needed a clear commitment to implement it in all schools and to mainstream it. The project team is adequately funded, but if more funding is required it will be provided. The allocated fund, however, is more than adequate for both the in-service training and the dissemination of materials to all classes.
This is a substance abuse prevention programme aimed at the primary level. The emphasis is on the building of self esteem among the children. It is not an issue of bringing drugs into the classroom and urging children not to take them.
I take on board what the Deputy has said and will refer the suggestions made to the project team. This is not an area where we will stand still. We are anxious to learn.
The Minister said that this programme was lying around. Will he make a statement on other schemes which are lying around, such as sex education? Who is responsible for it and why is it not being made available to children?
Those working in communities affected by drugs have been looking for a national drug research council which would look not just at programmes for schools but at the whole area of the drugs problem so that we could have a proper database, research policies and responses. The Minister's party advocated such a position when in Opposition but we have yet to see any action.
The sex education programme is not lying around the place, it is being proactively developed, particularly by the project team within the Department.
The team was not the problem.
We are making progress.
My colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Flood, has overall responsibility for the co-ordination of the Government's approach to this issue. There is merit in what the Deputy says about the research strand of the drugs issue. I am implementing a significant plank of the education manifesto through the substance abuse programme.
Perhaps the Minister would dust down that policy.
Written Answers follow Adjournment Debate
