Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, Solidarity) | Oireachtas source

I thank the witnesses for their presentations. From their different experiences, will the witnesses comment on the mediating factor of ethos between what exists on paper on the curriculum and what is actually delivered in schools? What impact does this have on the sex education that ends up being delivered?

Ms Lennon's comments were interesting with regard to the infantilisation of people with disabilities. It is clear that this would also tally with the idea that sex education is completely inadequate or effectively non-existent. Where do the witnesses think this comes from? Is it linked to a paternalistic attitude that desexualises people and infanlitises them and how do we tackle this? As Senator Ruane asked, what does tackling this issue look like in reality and what would be appropriate?

I was interested to hear the story about the trans young person, which was horrific. It is, unfortunately, not that surprising because we know that trans people are particularly subjected to bullying, and in some instances horrific bullying. Sex education as currently taught is supposed to discuss LGBTQ+ issues but we are aware that the delivery of this aspect of sex education is inadequate. How do the witnesses see the interaction between sex education as delivered and an environment where bullying and homophobia persists in schools? Any amount of this bullying is too much.

Is there a hidden curriculum that makes LGBTQ+ people feel excluded? If their sexual experiences are not referred to or discussed, this can mean that their experiences are "othered", even if their teachers do not set out to do this. That creates an environment in which they can be the subject of bullying.

I agree with what Ms Keogh said about pleasure as a measure of consent and what she said about equality, sexual activity and the different ways in which sex exists. Sex is not just a means of reproduction. Does she believe the fact that things are not taught in that way is linked to the issue of ethos? My experience has been that because of a particular view of sex, heterosexual sexual intercourse, as opposed to all the other forms of sex that exist, is the only type of sex that is really discussed during sex education. Is that related to the question of ethos? Finally, I ask Ms Keogh to go into a bit more detail about what she meant when she spoke about innovative lesson plans. What does that look like? Is there research in this area that can inform us?