Michael McNamara (Clare, Independent)
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533. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if and when she will meet with a group (details supplied) to discuss its concerns about reforms to the Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE), with Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE) curricula; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27598/23]

Michael McNamara (Clare, Independent)
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534. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will outline any plans to meet faith groups to discuss concerns about reforms to the Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE), with Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE) curricula; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27599/23]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 533 and 534 together.

Access to Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE) is an important right for students. This is reflected in the Programme for Government, which states that this Government will develop inclusive and age appropriate curricula for RSE and Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE) across primary and post-primary schools. SPHE is a mandatory curriculum subject in all primary schools and in post-primary Junior Cycle. RSE is required at all levels in schools, from primary through to Senior Cycle.

Work is ongoing to update the curricula in SPHE and RSE following on from a 2019 National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) review of RSE across primary and post-primary. The review involved students, parents, teachers, school leaders, researchers and organisations, with a view to gaining a full appreciation of the nature of young peoples’ needs and experience of RSE and this included responses from nearly 8,000 parents. That review said there was unanimous agreement among students about the importance of RSE. Students said that they wanted a safe and inclusive environment where they can discuss, ask questions and talk about all aspects of relationships and sexuality.

An updated Junior Cycle SPHE specification was published by the NCCA in May and is due to be rolled out in schools from this September. This follows extensive public consultation on the draft specification which took place in 2022. Work on a Senior Cycle SPHE specification is well underway and it is expected to be available for public consultation in Q3 2023. A background paper was already published for consultation in October last year. Work on a Primary specification has now begun also, and that is expected to be available for public consultation in 2024, before being finalised in 2025. This follows the publication of the new Primary Curriculum Framework in March of this year, which will be the foundation for all curriculum specifications including those for SPHE and RSE.

Consultation is a core feature of the NCCA’s work in developing curricula. The consultation processes it undertakes afford an opportunity for all parents, students, teachers and other stakeholders to make their views known in relation to any aspect of the curriculum and are the appropriate route by which to do so.

Michael McNamara (Clare, Independent)
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535. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will outline the steps that will be taken to accommodate parents with concerns about recent proposed reforms to the Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE), with Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE) curricula in order to comply with Article 42.4 of the Constitution; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27600/23]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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Access to sexual and health education is an important right for students. Schools have a responsibility to provide for this, in consultation with parents, having regard to the ethos of the school. Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE) is a mandatory curriculum subject in all primary schools and in post-primary junior cycle. Relationships and Sexuality Education (or RSE) is required at all levels, from primary through to senior cycle.

The redeveloped Junior Cycle SPHE specification was published by the NCCA in May and is due to be rolled out in schools from this September.

Work on redeveloping the Senior Cycle SPHE specification is well underway and it is expected to be available for public consultation in Q3 2023. A background paper was already published for consultation in October last year.

Development of a draft Primary specification is expected to be completed in early 2025, with public consultation on this specification planned for 2024.

The work of updating the curricula in SPHE and RSE follows on from a 2019 National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) review of RSE across primary and post-primary. The review involved students, parents, teachers, school leaders, researchers and organisations, with a view to gaining a full appreciation of the nature of young people's needs and experience of RSE and this included responses from nearly 8,000 parents. That review said there was unanimous agreement among students about the importance of RSE. Students said that they wanted a safe and inclusive environment where they can discuss, ask questions and talk about all aspects of relationships and sexuality.

Consultation is a core feature of the NCCA’s work in developing curricula. The NCCA consultation on the draft Junior Cycle specification took place from July to October 2022, three months rather than the normal six week consultation. Many parents, students and teachers as well as organisations with an interest in the area took the time to participate in the consultation process and more than 4,000 parents responded to the online survey element.

In accordance with Section 30 of the Education Act, 1998, parents have a right to have their children opt out of classes which are contrary to the conscience of the parent if they so wish. It is expected that this right be upheld by schools on foot of a parental request.

The manner in which any school ensures that the right to opt out of classes is upheld is a matter for the school concerned. The school must determine the particular arrangements which are most appropriate in its individual circumstances having regard to local issues such as available space, supervision requirements and how the school concerned organises classes etc.