Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Maybe ten or 12 years ago there was drug testing in post-primary schools. Students or parents would sign that their sons or daughters would voluntarily take a drug test. It was not mandatory; it was totally voluntarily. I remember tabling a couple of questions to the Department of Education. The issue of drugs a big problem in terms of peer pressure and bullying. I would be interested to hear Ms O’Connor’s views on this.

I would like to ask Mr. White about another issue. A huge number of school meals programmes have been rolled out across the country, specifically in the Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools, DEIS, schools. I have no doubt that this is an opportunity to pick up eating disorders among students earlier on. The company supplies the food and the student gets it. It is almost up to the teacher to see if there is an issue, and maybe that is unfair. Maybe this is where it comes back into emotional therapeutic supports. A teacher could say to the person giving the emotional therapeutic supports that a child in his or her class is not eating, or that they might eat today, but might not eat tomorrow. I would be interested in his views on this.

Voluntary drugs testing is a hot issue. Could Ms O'Connor briefly comment on this? I will allow Senator Byrne to come back in for another question after this. Will Ms O'Connor reply briefly to that? I will ask Mr. White to reply to my question on eating disorders.