Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour) | Oireachtas source

Dr. Gormley raised the issue of whether it should be voluntary or mandatory to contribute to consent classes. This question has been touched on by others. I understand that Trinity College has timetabled workshops for students in halls of residence and that Institute of Technology, Tralee has something for all new entrants. As we have heard from Rape Crisis Network Ireland, the work we need to do in this area should not be confined to consent classes but should apply across an entire institution. To what extent do we reach everybody we need to reach?

That is my main question, but I have some subsidiary questions that Ms Cahill might be best placed to answer. Are the people who are most likely to go to these workshops those who are concerned that something will happen that they have not consented to? What about the people who are likely to assume consent when it is not being given? How do we reach the people who may be the main cause of the problem, if I can put it that way? It is in that context that I am asking whether these classes should be voluntary or mandatory. To what extent are the people on both sides of the consent question being reached?

I was interested in what Dr. Saidléar said about the approach being taken at Institute of Technology, Tralee. I wonder whether the joint committee should get some specific information on that.

Ms Cahill mentioned the Joint Committee on the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution. I was a member of the committee, which made an important ancillary recommendation on the question of having appropriate and comprehensive relationship and sexuality education at all levels. Perhaps Mr. Crosby can tell us to what extent the Department of Education and Skills has a role in ensuring such education is offered. This aspect of the matter is probably broader than what we are considering today.

Mr. De Rís mentioned that some people who start college have not previously been given much information on the specific area of consent. I ask Mr. Crosby to comment on the role of the Department of Education and Skills in moving beyond identifying good practices in certain places by ensuring those practices are spread across the education system in an age-appropriate manner. They are needed at higher education level and maybe also at the pre-higher education levels.