Lack of facilities will hit public purse

PUBLIC health spending will rise significantly if children do not have access to proper sport and exercise facilities at school, a leading health professional has warned.

Esther-Mary D’Arcy, president of the Irish Society of Chartered Physiotherapists (ISCP), said while some children were not willing to participate in sports, there was concern about the lack of facilities in some schools.

The Department of Education has told an unknown number of primary schools with rising pupil numbers seeking temporary accommodation to use all available space, including general purpose rooms and physical education (PE) halls.