Mr. Matthew Ryan:

The Department having a more active role in schools is very important. I echo what was said on this topic at previous committee meetings in that there could be three schools on the same road, each dealing with bullying in a completely different way because it is very much up to the school at the moment. It is also very difficult for the schools to engage with the Department, there is a very large gap there. Many students do not even know who the Minister for Education is. There is a fundamental gap between the students and teachers on the ground and the Department of Education at the top. It is very difficult to tackle a bullying problem when one does not feel supported from the top. There absolutely must be a more active role for the Department with schools on an every day basis. Our report did call for an annual review of the Department's anti-bullying policies, just as schools have to, because we are working with outdated material so it is very difficult for schools.