Vol. 577 No. 3
304 Ms O. Mitchell asked the Minister for Education and Science the grants available in crèches, pre-schools or junior schools to employ the services of an exercise or fitness teacher in view of growing obesity problems. [31212/03]
There are no grants available from my Department for the employment of fitness teachers in crèches, pre-schools or junior schools. Physical education is however a compulsory part of the curriculum for primary schools. Specific teachers of physical education are not employed at primary school level as primary teachers are class teachers as distinct from individual subject teachers and must be able to teach all aspects of the curriculum.
In October 2000, my Department introduced an annual physical education grant for all primary schools. Since the introduction of the scheme, my Department provided in excess of €5.5 million in grant aid to primary schools under this scheme for schools to provide coaching or mentoring in connection with physical education or for the purchase of resource materials associated with the provision of physical education.
Materials and equipment purchased by schools in previous years will generally be available to them for the year. In 2002, primary schools designated as disadvantaged schools received a grant of €1,270 while other recognised primary schools received a grant of €635. Approximately €2.4 million was allocated to schools in 2002 under this scheme. In light of budgetary constraints, I decided to withdraw payment of the grant for 2003. The position will be kept under review as part of the normal Estimates process in the coming years.
Question No. 305 answered with Question No. 94.
