Senator Joe O'Toole

Press Release

Senator Joe O'Toole
Physical Education Conference
Saturday, November 11th. 2000

Senator Joe O'Toole, INTO General Secretary and ICTU Vice- President , speaking at the PEAI conference in Galway calls for the establishment of a School of Excellence within the National Stadium complex, for gifted pupils with the potential to become Irish International Sports Stars.
The Minister for Sport and Government wonder why we are doing so poorly internationally and particularly in the Olympics

Well consider these facts:-

• More than half [54%] of all primary schools do not have a General Purposes room.
  
• More than three quarters of our primary schools [78%] report that because of inadequate space, they cannot fully implement the PE programme.
  
• More than two thirds [67%] of schools report they need either additional or replacement PE equipment.

The level of importance and significance assigned to Physical Education by the Department of Education and Science is well illustrated by this week's announcement by the Minister for Education of an annual PE grant for Primary Schools.
The money, it is suggested, can be used in a variety of useful ways.
For instance, it is suggested it might be used to 'alleviate the cost of swimming lessons' or to 'engage outside Sports Exports for the school'.
It could also be used to purchase various items of PE equipment;
anything from mats, benches, bars, boxes, climbing frames to hurleys, bats and racquets.

In the midst of the brouhaha and welcome most have failed to notice the miserable level of the annual grant being a mere £500 per Primary School.
We may look forward with pretty low levels of expectations to counting the numbers of swimming classes, expert tuititions and access to equipment which can be bought for £3.25 per year.
Enter the real world, Minister!
It does not take a genius to establish that this is yet another smokescreen by yet another Minister who continues to take the goodwill and selfless generosity of teachers and parents for granted in cherishing the children of the nation.

Every Primary School should have a General Purpose room and adequate PE facilities.
That would require a budgetary decision by the Government.

Of course the gifted high achievers in our schools who reach extraordinary standards of excellence should and must be treasured and developed within the educational system. This should be as true in relation to sports and games talent as it should be in relation to Academic achievements. This could be dealt with through school support structures.