Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for outlining the strategy. It is welcome that he has come before the committee to get our views on this wide-ranging area.

I have some questions about the pilot project to teach politics and society. I understand it is going very well and has been very successful. The Minister mentioned the importance of critical thinking and ensuring the education system instils this skill among students. What are his feelings on the roll-out of this subject? Deputy Thomas Byrne mentioned history. The subject of politics and society incorporates history and is quite complementary. In this era of populism the education system has a role to play in informing students in order that they understand how politics works, how the various parties work and how to analyse media critically when reading or listening to debates. It would help to provide for better civic engagement among not only young people but also throughout society. It is a crucial subject.

On the importance of empathy, NUI Galway has Ireland's first UNESCO chair in children, youth and civic engagement. The importance of empathy has been scientifically proved. I understand the United Nations will include it as one of its sustainable development goals. Well-being is also one of the goals. UNESCO is carrying out a pilot project throughout Ireland, in which Foróige is very much involved. It involves the teaching of empathy which actually can be taught to transition year students in secondary schools.

It has been scientifically proven that it can be taught and the policy is evidence based. What is empathy? We use the word all the time. It is more than compassion. It is a critical problem online, not just for young people but for everybody, as people feel they can say anything online and there is no empathy. It means not only identifying with how somebody may be feeling when one says something online, but also putting oneself in someone else's shoes to understand how he or she might feel and acting on it. That is the basis of empathy, although I have tried to simplify it in a few sentences. Empathy has been recognised internationally and UNESCO is championing it. Given that the chair is in Ireland and UNESCO is funding the initiative, it would be good for the Department of Education and Skills to acknowledge it and it could be implemented as part of the well-being programme.

The evidence suggests that somebody could score ten out of ten on a test of well-being but that does not mean that he or she has empathy. One could be feeling fantastic with great self-esteem but one's empathy levels may be low. The term "well-being" is used so widely that there is much misconception about what it means, that is, whether it means going to the gym, doing meditation or something else. We are doing a good job on well-being within the education system but a module on empathy could be tacked on successfully, even on a pilot basis, as UNESCO rolls the initiative out throughout the country.

Given that the United Nations is also considering the matter in its sustainable development goals and given that scientists have proven that it can be taught, empathy would be an important module for society, and Ireland would show great leadership in examining it, even on a pilot basis. We have the relevant expertise and there is research and evidence behind it. At another committee of which I am a member, we have discussed online safety and bullying. The key is to put oneself in someone else's shoes, try to understand how he or she is feeling and act on it, rather than just saying one feels pity and walking away. It will help people and I do not mean only young people. Rather, it will help even us in the Oireachtas. It is a matter that extends across the board and we need to lead by example. It is not just me who recommends it; scientists have carried out evidence-based research and the recommendations are being rolled out around the world. Canada and the United States are leading countries in this regard and there is a UNESCO chair in Ireland. The funding is available and UNESCO is not asking the Department to provide it. It is available and it is being rolled out. It could be nicely tacked on to the well-being programme.