Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Tuesday, 25 May 2021

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills

School Bullying and the Impact on Mental Health: Discussion (Resumed)

Photo of Aodhán Ó RíordáinAodhán Ó Ríordáin (Dublin Bay North, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I confirm that I am in Leinster House. I have three quick questions: two for all three witnesses and one for Mr. Mulconry.

My first question is on potentially restricting the age at which a child can own a smartphone. I do not know if it is possible or if it is necessarily desirable. Do any of the witnesses have a view on that? The nature of bullying has changed. It follows the child home and the witnesses have all mentioned online bullying. The first issue is accessibility through a smartphone.

Do the witnesses have a view as to whether the disproportionately high level of gender segregation in Irish schools helps or hinders tackling this issue? Some 17% of all primary school children go to a single gender school. One third of secondary level young people go to a single gender school. Do the witnesses think this has an impact?

In the terms of homophobic and transphobic bullying, the Catholic Church considers homosexual acts to be acts of grave depravity and that homosexuals are intrinsically disordered. How does Mr. Mulconry find the challenge of that stated belief system of the Catholic Church? Given that the Catholic Church is the patron of 90% of Irish primary schools, how can he balance that belief system with tackling homophobic bullying?

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