Schools' physical education and sports facilities are used for a wide range of educational programmes for school pupils throughout the school day as well as for adult and continuing programmes after school hours. School authorities are encouraged, where feasible, to ensure maximum use of school physical education and sports facilities by community groups when not in use by the pupils of the school. In this regard, there are ongoing discussions between staff of my Department and the Department of Tourism, Sport and Recreation with a view to maximising the use of existing schools' sports facilities. It is proposed that any new physical education and sports facilities which are provided for schools will, as far as possible, be built with a view to facilitating community use.