Glenageary-Killiney national school in Dublin is set to become one of the first in the Republic to have a "TV-Turnoff Week". From April 7th to 11th, the pupils will be encouraged to try life without the constant stimulation of the visual electronic media - and that includes Playstation.
The idea, which originated in the US, is being encouraged here by the Reading Association of Ireland, which is hoping that children will pick up books to read instead. All schools have received a circular explaining how to run the event.
The official international TV- Turnoff Week will take place from April 21st to 25th and is supported by the US National Education Association and the American Medical Association.
The average person has watched eight years of TV by the time they die. "What a waste," says Ms Muriel Rumball, principal of Glenageary-Killiney national school. She will be encouraging her pupils to watch as little TV as possible during the week. How parents cope with this will be another issue.
Ms Ann Ryan, principal of St Martin's junior school, Springfield, Tallaght, in Dublin hasn't tried to implement a TV-Turnoff Week yet, but is considering it.
"I would be adamant that parents do not allow their children to have a TV in their bedrooms. I would regard it as a form of abuse to allow a child to have private, unedited access to videos, satellite TV and Playstation," she says.
Mr Brian O'Reilly, principal of Scoil Mhuire in Newbridge, Co Kildare, is planning to implement such a week in the near future. "I think we can sell the idea of reading instead of telly. The responsible use of TV should be part of a healthy lifestyle."
The Reading Association of Ireland advises that if you cannot turn off the TV completely, at least hide the remote control, keep the TV off during meal times and restrict viewing to specific times.
In the US, the TV-Turnoff Network has called for television broadcasters to run periodic messages warning viewers that "excessive television viewing has negative health, academic and other consequences for children".
Research has linked excessive TV time to a host of social problems, such as educational under-achievement and obesity. The American Society of Paediatrics has advised that children be limited to one hour's screen time a day, including recreational computer time.
The TV-Turnoff Week website is www.tvturnoff.org.