Jonathan O'Brien
Ceist:475. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will fund a scheme to deliver nutrition, cookery and healthy eating courses for parents within schools. [43557/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraTuesday, 8 December 2015
Ceisteanna (475)
Freagraí scríofa
Schools may choose to provide information directly to parents, but the main focus in schools is on educating their students on health and well-being. This takes place firstly through the school curriculum, in the subjects Social, Personal and Health Education, Home Economics, and Physical Education; and secondly through various extra-curricular initiatives. Schools also have policies on healthy eating. The Government published "Healthy Ireland - A Framework for Improved Health and Wellbeing 2013 - 2025". "Healthy Ireland" aims to improve the health not only of our students, but also of our nation. Education has a key role to play in the "Healthy Ireland" agenda. In fact, the Department of Education and Skills, having consulted with the Department of Health and the HSE, in September 2015, issued guidance for post-primary schools, initially, on promoting healthy lifestyles, in the form of Departmental Circular 0051/2015. At the same time, the Department of Health published updated guidelines for post primary schools on the development of healthy eating policies. Data from the Department's own Lifeskills Survey, 2012, indicate that almost all post-primary schools provide information to students on the importance of a balanced diet. Some 325 post-primary schools responded to the 2012 Survey. Data from the 2015 survey are currently being analysed.