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Seanad Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 11 Feb 2015

Vol. 237 No. 11

Commencement Matters

Physical Education Facilities

Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit. My request to the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Jan O'Sullivan, is that she lead a new scheme to provide gymnasiums for existing schools which do not have them and that it be a cross-departmental scheme involving Departments such as the Departments of Children and Youth Affairs, Health and Transport, Tourism and Sport which all have a stake in children's lives in terms of their health and well-being. This is not existing policy, but it would be a very smart policy. I have experience of this in Galway. I refer to three schools in Galway city, Salerno secondary school in Salthill and the Mercy and Presentation secondary schools which it is proposed to amalgamate. Salerno secondary school has no gym, but it has raised money to contribute to the cost of one. It is begging for a new proposal from the Minister to help it to provide a gym for the 600 girls in the school. A couple of weeks ago I tabled a Commencement matter which was taken by the Minister of State, Deputy Damien English, about the proposed amalgamation of the Mercy and the Presentation secondary schools. The site chosen by CEIST is the site of the Presentation secondary school which has no gym. However, the school which will be vacated does have one. When I asked the Minister of State whether there would be a new gym following the amalgamation, his answer was that the schools could use the proceeds of the sale of the Mercy secondary school site to fund one.

I need not tell the Minister of State about the evidence in favour of physical education and physical exercise. We know that we are facing a time bomb when it comes to obesity. Long before this time bomb emerged, there was much evidence showing that girls' interest in physical exercise decreased at second level unless it was made more interesting and appropriate to their needs. For the Government not to invest in the health and well-being of young girls is appalling and a missed opportunity. We are only storing up problems for the future. We must instil good lifestyle habits early. There is strong evidence in favour of this approach which I will not go into now.

The second issue is equity. I understand the pressing need for new accommodation and accept that all new schools have a gym, which is phenomenal. However, where is the equity for existing schools? The parents of children attending Salerno second school pay their taxes, as do the parents of children attending the Mercy and Presentation secondary schools. On that basis they should receive equity with equal access to facilities. I, therefore, request that the Minister for Education and Skills lead a scheme involving the Departments of Health, Children and Youth Affairs and Transport, Tourism and Sport and perhaps the Department of Justice and Equality. It should not be impossible to do this; it is not mind-blowing. We need a new policy in order that the children concerned can have equity. I understand that in terms of the finances the community must give a figure of 20% or 40%, but the principle that existing schools which do not have a gym will not have one provided is fundamentally wrong. I look forward to hearing the Minister of State's reply.

I am taking this Commencement matter on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Jan O'Sullivan. I thank the Senator for raising it, as it provides me with an opportunity to clarify the current position on the provision of physical education facilities in post-primary schools.

The Department of Education and Skills fully recognises the key role of physical exercise within the school environment and continues to respond to the need to improve physical education facilities for all pupils attending schools within the constraints of the available funding. I also advise the Senator that the physical education curriculum has been designed on the basis that facilities in schools may vary. For example, many primary schools have a general purpose room, while almost all schools have outdoor play areas which are used to teach different aspects of the physical education programme. There is a similar situation at second level in the case of sports halls and outdoor facilities. In addition, many schools use adjacent local facilities, including public parks, playing fields and swimming pools. The provision of play space where site conditions and circumstances allow is one of the issues considered in the architectural design of new schools and major extensions. The Department's design guidelines for schools include guidance on the provision of physical education halls, general purpose rooms and outdoor hard play areas such as basketball courts.

The Senator will appreciate that in assessing applications from schools for funding for physical education hall facilities the Department needs to balance such requests in priority terms against the critical need to provide essential classroom accommodation, particularly in areas of demographic growth. In view of the constraints on available funding imposed by the need to provide such accommodation, the Department is not in a position at this time to consider an initiative as proposed by the Senator.

However, I wish to advise her that the number of schools with general purpose rooms and physical education halls is increasing all the time, while practically all schools have outside exercise space such as basketball and tennis courts and playing fields. In addition, many schools use adjacent local facilities, including public parks, playing fields and swimming pools.

The facilities that schools have on site are just part of the picture because they may also have access to excellent local sports facilities, which have been greatly expanded and improved through funding from the Government's sports capital programme in recent years. In that regard, the Department has liaised with the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport on school applications for sporting facilities and with local authorities on shared school and community facilities where this is possible to achieve. The value of a cross-departmental approach in enhancing the contribution made by physical exercise in the promotion of healthy lifestyles has long been recognised by the Department.

In that regard, the Department is currently finalising guidance about measures to promote healthy lifestyles in consultation with the Department of Health and the HSE. This guidance will encompass measures to promote healthy eating, healthy vending and the promotion of physical education and physical activity. This guidance will be targeted in the first instance at post-primary schools and similar guidance will issue subsequently to primary schools. The Department is also participating in the cross-departmental group that is responsible for developing the national physical activity plan. This group, which is co-chaired by the Department of Health and the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport, is currently finalising a national plan containing a range of measures to promote physical activity across society, including in the education sector.

In view of the current interdepartmental co-operation on the development of healthy lifestyles, including physical education, the Minister does not propose to progress an interdepartmental scheme as proposed by the Senator. I thank her for allowing me the opportunity to clarify the current position in relation to physical education facilities in post-primary schools.

The Senator made a point on young women in secondary school which hit home for me given on my own experience in this area. I served on VECs and education and training boards for more than ten years. During that period I read numerous reports which outlined stark decreases in participation rates among this cohort, even where excellent facilities were available. The decrease was most noticeable after first year in secondary school but the numbers dropped constantly despite efforts to promote physical activities. While programmes worked for a short period, the fall off would subsequently recur. We tend to focus on young men and women who are very interested in sports or have individual qualities that allow their skills to be developed but the problems often arise in the group that does not join anything. This issue requires further investigation by the Departments of Health and Education and Skills. I will relay the Senator's comments to the Minister, Deputy Jan O'Sullivan, when I speak to her this afternoon or early tomorrow.

I thank the Minister of State who is always generous with his comments. However, his official reply is very disappointing. He indicated that a cross-departmental approach is being taken in the discussions. I want the Minister for Education and Skills or the Minister for Transport, Sport and Tourism to offer leadership in developing the appropriate infrastructure. That may involve local negotiations with a view to schools sharing facilities. We cannot leave 1,000 or more girls in Galway city without a gym. The solution should involve consulting girls at second level to find out what they are interested in doing because if the right space and environment is not available to them, they will probably not participate at all. I hope the Minister of State will relay my comments to the Minister, Deputy Jan O'Sullivan, although many Ministers make that commitment but do not do so.

The Senator is referring to a specific school.

I was speaking about general policy across the area.

It is not a general policy issue.

If the Senator will let me finish, I am aware of local negotiations across the country where co-operation between the Department of Education and Skills and the local authorities have led to the development of good sporting facilities, including gymnasium halls and swimming pools, that the entire community can use. As a public representative, I have long been concerned about excellent facilities being locked up during school holidays or weekends. We have to examine the resources available to us. A community audit would be worthwhile in this regard to identify the facilities available and ensure their use is maximised. We are operating under financial constraints and we have to utilise whatever facilities are available rather than see them closed at weekends or at 4 p.m. every day. There is a need for basic co-operation but this can be achieved quite quickly by true leadership in local communities.

Wild Atlantic Way Project

Cuirim céad fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit agus táim thar a bheith buíoch dó as am a thógáil teacht isteach arís go dtí an Seanad, ar cheist a bhaineann le cúrsaí turasóireachta ach atá ceangailte le Údarás na Gaeltachta agus an ról atá aige. Tá fáilte coitianta curtha roimh an fhorbairt atá déanta ar Shlí an Atlantaigh Fhiáin ar fud chósta an iarthair agus tá cosúlacht ar an scéal go bhfuil líon na dturasóirí atá ag teacht, go háirithe go dtí na ceantair ó Thír Chonaill go Corcaigh, ag méadú mar thoradh ar sin.

De réir mar a thuigim, an chéad rud a bhí le déanamh ná bhí na comharthaí bóthair le crochadh, an suíomh Idirlíon a dhéanamh agus an Aip a dhéanamh sa gcaoi go mbeadh a fhios ag na turasóirí cá raibh siad ag dul. Tuigim anois go bhfuil obair fhorbartha breise le déanamh ó thaobh gnóthaí atá ar an mbóthar ó Thír Chonaill go Corcaigh. Táim ag breathnú ar an Aip ar an ríomhaire beag atá agam anseo agus feicim go bhfuil sé an-tarraingteach ar fad. Ach, nuair a théann duine isteach go dtí na gnóthaí agus nuair a fhéachann sé ar na ceantair Ghaeltachta ach go háirithe, feicim go bhfuil líon na ngnóthaí Gaeltachta atá páirteach sa Wild Atlantic Way i bhfad níos ísle ná ceantair eile. I gConamara mar shampla, is thart timpeall ar cheantar an Chlocháin is mó atá na gnóthaí.

Ar ndóigh, tá ról forbartha ag Údarás na Gaeltachta. Anuas tríd na blianta bhíodh baint ag Údarás na Gaeltachta le cúrsaí turasóireachta. Bunaíodh an eagraíocht GaelSaoire faoi scáth Údarás na Gaeltachta agus rinne an eagraíocht sin obair mhaith ag cur chun cinn cúrsaí turasóireachta. Cén ról atá ag Údarás na Gaeltachta i leith Slí an Atlantaigh Fhiáin, an togra nua seo? Cén ról atá aige agus cén tacaíocht ar féidir leis a thabhairt má tá gnó beag amuigh ansin atá ag plé le deatú bradán nó ag cur turas siúlóide ar siúl nó aon rud mar sin. Cén cúnamh atá le fáíl ó Údarás na Gaeltachta. An bhfuil an t-údarás ag fanacht go dtiocfaidh daoine chuige nó an bhfuil sé ag dul amach agus ag fógairt na tacaíochta gur féidir leis a thabhairt? An bhfuil an t-údarás gníomhach ag cur chun cinn na ceantair Ghaeltachta ó thaobh an Wild Atlantic Way? Tá seo fíor thábhachtach mar tá deis mhaith anseo.

Ar maidin, mar shampla, bhí mé ag caint le duine i gceantar na n-oileán - bhí an tAire Stáit sa cheantar sin an lá cheana - agus táthar ag rá ansin go bhfuil comharthaí maithe le feiceáil, ach nuair a théann duine siar níos faide ná Droichead Charraig an Logáin in aice le Leitir Mór, nach bhfuil aon chomharthaí níos faide siar ná sin. Mar shampla, níl comhartha maidir leis an ionad oidhreachta atá i Leitir Mulláin, atá luaite leis an Aip. Níl comhartha bóthair ag rá cá bhfuil an t-ionad go díreach. An bhféadfadh an tAire Stáit léargas a thabhairt dúinn ar seo. Ó thaobh na Roinne de, an bhfuil dóthain tacaíochta tugtha aige don údarás le gur féidir leis na cúraimí seo ó thaobh chúrsaí turasóireachta a dhéanamh? An bhfuil dóthain fóirne aige nó an bhfuil deacrachtaí eile ann nach dtuigeann muid? An bhfuil comhoibriú ar siúl idir an údarás agus Fáilte Éireann?

Tá deis anseo an Ghaeltacht a chur chun cinn. Ní Gaeltacht na Gaillimhe amháin atáimid ag caint faoi ach beagnach gach ceantar Gaeltachta in san áireamh, Tír Chonaill, Maigh Eo, Gaillimh agus Ciarraí. Ní rachainnse baileach isteach go cheantar Mhúscraí ná Contae na Mí ach b'fhéidir go mbeidh scéimeanna eile dóibh siúd amach anseo. Tá deis iontach anseo an turasóireacht a chur chun cinn sna ceantair seo agus tá sé ag teastáil go géar. Mar sin, beidh mé sásta freagra an Aire Stáit a chloisteáil.

Cuirim fáilte roimh an rún atá curtha síos ag an Seanadóir Trevor Ó Clochartaigh maidir le Slí an Atlantaigh Fhiáin. Táim buíoch de bhaill an Tí seo mar gheall ar an spéis atá léirithe acu san ábhar seo atá gar do mo chroí. Ní miste a aithint go bhfuil tionscal na turasóireachta thar a bheith tábhachtach do gheilleagar na Gaeltachta. Tá sé tábhachtach chun fostaíocht a chruthú do phobal na Gaeltachta ar an mhórthír agus go deimhin ar na hoileáin Ghaeltachta, agus na hoileáin lasmuigh den Ghaeltacht. Sa bhreis air sin, tugann an turasóireacht deiseanna don Ghaeltacht an teanga agus an cultúr a chothú, a cheiliúradh agus a léiriú don domhan mór. Cuireann teanga agus cultúr na Gaeltachta iontu féin gné faoi leith leis an turasóireacht sa tír ar fad.

Tá gné úr ag baint leis an turasóireacht sa Ghaeltacht anois le Slí an Atlantaigh Fhiáin atá forbartha ag Fáilte Éireann. Níl aon dabht ach go gcruthaíonn Slí an Atlantaigh Fhiáin ár gCamino féin anseo in Éirinn. Tá an cheathrú chuid den tSlí, atá 2,500 km ar fhad, ag dul tríd an Ghaeltacht, ó Chionn Mhálanna tríd an iarthar go dtí an deisceart. Is cinnte go bhfuil Slí an Atlantaigh Fhiáin ar cheann de na tionscnaimh thurasóireachta is rathúla atá forbartha le blianta beaga anuas agus go bhfuil sé ag déanamh difríochta nach beag do chúrsaí turasóireachta sa Ghaeltacht ach go háirithe.

Maidir le ról agus tacaíochtaí Údarás na Gaeltachta i ndáil le cúrsaí turasóireachta, tuigim gurb í an aidhm atá ag an údarás ná an Ghaeltacht a fhorbairt mar cheann scríbe turasóireachta i gcomhar le Fáilte Éireann. Déantar é seo i gcomhthéacs na turasóireachta cultúrtha agus an tábhacht a bhaineann léi do gheilleagar na Gaeltachta agus don gheilleagar náisiúnta araon. Tá scéimeanna tacaíochta airgeadais ar fáil ó Údarás na Gaeltachta le tograí cultúrtha turasóireachta a bhunú agus a fhorbairt, lena n-áirítear tograí atá suite sna ceantair Ghaeltachta gar do Shlí an Atlantaigh Fhiáin. Tuigtear dom go gcuirtear tacaíocht ar fáil do thograí turasóireachta cultúrtha trí ghnáthscéimeanna deontais an Údaráis, ina measc: staidéar féidearthachta nó taighde agus forbairt, deontas caipitil, deontas fostaíochta, deontas oiliúna, deontas do sheirbhísí comhairleoireachta, forbairt scileanna taighde margaíochta agus deontas rannpháirtíochta in aontaí trádála. Tuigim go mbeidh an t-údarás ag díriú i mbliana ar thacaíocht a thabhairt dá gcuid cliaint agus iad ag cur Shlí an Atlantaigh Fhiáin chun cinn trí tháirgí nuálaíocha a chur ar fáil a bhfuil baint acu le teanga agus le cultúr na Gaeltachta i measc rudaí eile.

Muid ag caint ar ról an Údaráis ó thaobh na turasóireachta de, ní fhéadfainn gan tagairt shonrach a dhéanamh don obair cheannródaíoch atá ar bun aige maidir leis an fhorbairt ag Teach an Phiarsaigh i Ros Muc. Mar is eol don Teach, tá an fhorbairt seo ar cheann de na tograí caipitil atá á maoiniú ag an Rialtas mar chuid den chuimhneachán ar 1916. Tá an tionscadal seo faoi cheannaireacht Údarás na Gaeltachta mar chuid de ghrúpa stiúrtha atá déanta suas de Chomhairle Contae na Gaillimhe, Oifig na nOibreacha Poiblí, Fáilte Éireann agus mo Roinn féin. Tá mé ag súil go ndéanfar dul chun cinn suntasach in 2015 le go mbeidh an tionscadal críochnaithe in am do Cháisc 2016.

Cuirim fáilte roimh an deis an Teach seo a chur ar an eolas faoin tacaíocht atá Údarás na Gaeltachta ag tabhairt do thograí agus do ghnólachtaí atá lonnaithe sa Ghaeltacht ar Shlí an Atlantaigh Fhiáin.

Fáiltím go mór roimh an méid atá ráite faoi Theach an Phiarsaigh agus faoin obair atá ar siúl ansin. Táimid ar fad ag súil go mbeidh sé críochnaithe in am do Cháisc 2016. Tuigim ón Aire Stáit mar sin go bhfuil scéim faoi leith, nó fócas faoi leith, le bheith ag Údarás na Gaeltachta ar thacaíocht a thabhairt do ghnólachtaí i dtaca le cúrsaí cultúrtha agus turasóireachta ar Shlí an Atlantaigh Fhiáin. An bhfuil dóthain acmhainní agus airgid ag an údarás leis an obair seo a dhéanamh? An bhfuil an Roinn ag cur aon airgead breise ar fáil le cabhrú leis an údarás an obair seo a dhéanamh agus fócas faoi leith a chur ar an obair fhorbartha seo, nó an bhfuilimid ag brath díreach ar na scéimeanna atá ag an údarás? Ar leor an méid atá le fáil ins na scéimeanna sin, mar ní raibh aon ardú suntasach ansin le roinnt blianta anuas?

Bhí mé ag caint faoi na scéimeanna fhoirmiúla atá ar fáil trí Údarás na Gaeltachta, ach tá ról leathan ag an Rialtas. Is é an nasc idir an Rialtas agus pobal na Gaeltachta an ceangal is tábhachtaí. Tá suim mhór agam, agus b'fhéidir go bhfuil suim mhór ag an Seanadóir freisin, sa teanga Gaeilge. Mar shampla, tá croí Shlí an Atlantaigh Fhiáin sna ceantair Ghaeltachta, na ceantair iargúlta agus na ceantair atá cultúr agus stair flúirseach acu. Is ansin atá na deiseanna móra. Nuair a bhí an tAire, an Teachta Paschal Donohoe, i dTír Chonaill coicís ó shin, dúirt sé gurb í an obair mhór atá ar siúl anois ná infheistíocht a mhealladh isteach sa Ghaeltacht. Tá an bealach ann. Is bealach fada é - 2,500 km - ach is é an ceangal idir an Rialtas agus na dream phobail ar an talamh an ceangal is doimhne. Chuala mé tuairim an tSeanadóra faoin gceangal seo. Ar dtús báire bhí sé ag labhairt faoi oileáin na Gaeltachta. Sin an deis mhór. Bhí seans mór agam anuraidh. Chuaigh mé go dtí Oileáin Bhéara agus Sherkin lasmuigh den Ghaeltacht agus bhí mé ar Oileán Thóraí. I mí Eanáir thug mé cuairt ar Árainn Mhór. Fuair mé cuireadh ó Oileáin Árann cúpla seachtain ó shin agus táim ag súil go mór leis an turas go dtí na hoileáin sin amach anseo. Tá ceangal mór idir oileáin na Gaeltachta agus na hoileáin lasmuigh den Ghaeltacht trí Shlí an Atlantaigh Fhiáin agus ba mhaith liom obair leis an Seanadóir agus le Baill an Tí seo maidir leis na deiseanna a bheas ann amach anseo.

Gabhaim buíochas arís leis an Seanadóir as ucht an cheist. Beidh gach duine ag labhairt faoi Shlí an Atlantaigh Fhiáin. Tá plean ar siúl. Tá ceangal idir na Ranna ábhartha go léir agus tá ról mór ag an cheangal idir na dreamanna ar an talamh agus an Rialtas. Ba mhaith liom obair leis an Seanadóir agus a chomhghleacaithe i gContae na Gaillimhe. Tá deis ann. B'fhéidir go bhfuil seans ann go mbeidh ceangal le Port Láirge agus Contae na Mí fosta. Tá athrú ar siúl. Tá daoine i Meiriceá, san Astráil agus i dtíortha eile thar lear ag caint i dtéarmaí dearfacha faoi Shlí an Atlantaigh Fhiáin. Tá deis mhór ann do na daoine agus na ceantair faoi bhrú le dífhostaíocht agus eisimirce.

Sitting suspended at 11.10 a.m. and resumed at noon.
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