asked the Minister for Education what progress has been made towards the introduction of a general physical training system in Irish schools with skilled instructors; whether he is satisfied with the present position; and whether any action is under consideration to improve the position.
Ceisteann—Questions. Oral Answers. - Physical Training in Schools.
62.
There are two colleges in this country where women teachers of physical education may receive training under skilled instructors. There are no such training facilities here for men. To remedy this deficiency a number of men were sent for training abroad this year. It is proposed to establish a further college so that all training can be carried out here.
Can the Parliamentary Secretary tell us when the establishment of this college will take place?
This matter is under consideration at present and I would not be in a position to give the Deputy a specific date just now.
Can he tell us the number of men who were sent abroad for training?
The number of men was 20.
And will they be qualified as instructors in the new college when it is established?
These people will be qualified teachers of physical education when they complete the course. Five of them who are already registered as teachers are doing a concentrated one-year course on physical education. The other 15 are starting a four-year course.
How many of them at the moment are fully qualified?
I do not have that figure with me.
Could the Parliamentary Secretary tell us why this is confined to men and why physical training courses for women are not available in the same way?
I think a similar question was answered recently. Due to the fact that there was no college for men in this country I was given special responsibility, as the Deputy knows, to bring about the further development of physical education. One of the greatest needs is to provide facilities whereby we can have trained teachers available to our schools. We do not have colleges for men in this country and I did not propose to wait six years to turn out trained male teachers. It was therefore arranged by the Department to send boys on a scholarship to England.
That is not the question I asked. After all, boys play a lot of football and so on; at least I used to when I was young. The Parliamentary Secretary knows quite well the question I asked was why is this confined to boys, why is not the same facility made available to girls.
We have no control over the girls' colleges that exist in this country and, as I stated, it is proposed to establish a further college. This whole question will be considered in the coming months.
Very good.