Ms Kate O'Flaherty:

I will build on what Dr. Holohan and Dr. O'Keeffe have said about education. As part of the Healthy Ireland approach, it is about building on the interdepartmental and cross-sectoral relationships, seeking to improve those, better use our resources together and avoid duplication of effort where possible. As Dr. O'Keeffe has said the focus of campaigns for the general population is destigmatising the many issues around sexual health and empowering people. That would be the strategic approach in terms of educating young people.

Another important thing that has been referred to in terms of the barriers in the education sector of providing that kind of information to young people so that they feel empowered, and have the knowledge and information to look after their own health, is seeking better ways of standardising those messages, having a consistency of information and ensuring that all young people have access to that. I know the trust and other resources are already provided by the HSE and other agencies.

One of the things for us to look at is providing more and easier to access specialists, support teachers and others in their work with young people. Curriculum reform represents an opportunity to have those discussions. The Department of Children and Youth Affairs is developing a new child and youth policy framework to which we are contributing. A key part of that in terms of the health of children is where we can work more closely together to achieve the outcomes that we would all like.

As Dr. Holohan mentioned, a key part of that policy framework development is listening to the voices of children and young people, and knowing that what we are delivering to them meets their particular needs and answers their needs for looking after their own health into the future.