PHYSICAL EDUCATION should be an examinable subject on the Leaving Certificate curriculum, offering students points towards third-level admission, the Labour Party has proposed.
At the launch of a policy document in Dublin yesterday, Labour’s spokeswoman on sport, Mary Upton, said the party was looking at ways of getting more people involved in sport. One way of achieving this was better physical education facilities in schools.
The make-up of any exam would be dependent on co-operation with the Department of Education, she said, adding that the improved provision of PE teachers to all schools would be a “minimum” requirement.
The party’s A Level Playing Pitch policy document recommended more Government spending be directed towards multi-use sporting facilities.
Ms Upton said €725 million had been spent on the sports capital programme but priority should be given for future State funding to get people active in the existing facilities.
Ms Upton also called for greater co-operation between sports bodies, schools, local authorities and the HSE to ensure awareness of the “role physical exercise plays in staying healthy”.
Quoting research from the ESRI, the document said that in health terms, participation in sport was equivalent to being 14 years younger than a non-participant. Investing money in sport would ultimately result in potential financial savings in the health area.
