Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Okay. I have found everything said today extremely good from a parent's point of view and a child's point of view. That said, I have some concerns. Who drafts the curriculum for science, technology, engineering and mathematics, STEM? We are looking at changing how we do business in Ireland if this referendum is to be put to the people, but from an educational point of view are our young people prepared to deal with those changes?

We are talking from the two sides of our mouths. We have policy but no implementation. If we have implementation we can tone it up or tone it down, depending on who we are dealing with. I need to know what is the position regarding this policy in respect of the two forms of education, social personal and health education, SPHE, and relationship and sexuality education, RSE, when it is brought into schools and who is accountable.

I will not lecture but I have a few questions. The witnesses have outlined how post-primary schools are required to teach all aspects of an RSE programme, including family planning, sexually transmitted infections and sexual orientations. Schools cannot leave out any part of the programme but can teach the programme within the school's ethos and value system. How do schools balance what may be a conflict with school ethos with delivering relationships and sexuality education programmes which fully inform young people? Ms Egan used the word "recommends" earlier, and she can understand the question I have asked. What happens when schools do not fully implement or provide social personal health education and relationship and sexual education? Are there any repercussions? Are parents and students made aware of the shortcomings? Is there a mandatory requirement for teachers to engage in continuous professional development on the SPHE and the RSE or is the training a once off?

It was mentioned that some third level institutions provide information around sexual communications and consent. To what degree are the issues of healthy sexual relationships and consent a part of the post-primary curriculum? It is a challenge for some parents and teachers to discuss relationships and sexual health with their children or students. They themselves may not have grown up in an environment where those issues were openly discussed. While the Chair at least had the video, some people did not even have that. What resources are being made available to parents?

I read Ms McGovern's presentation and listened to her. At no stage were children in care addressed. Coming from the Department of Children and Youth Affairs I imagined it would be mentioned. I had brought up the issue of children in care over the last number of meetings but how we engage with those children was not addressed. They have been looking for booklets, not just on sexual education. We need booklets for children in care. How are we going to let them know how they can reach out for help when they are in a bad position?

The Department of Children and Youth Affairs has provided funding of €89,000, but the overall budget, including the HSE and education funding, comes to over €500,000. When I divide that out over the clubs, the 1,600 youth groups, that works out at €327 per grouping. Can the witnesses explain to me how that reaches the groups?