Fiona O'Loughlin (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the witnesses for their detailed submissions, as well as their opening statements. It is good to see so much happening and the proactive approach that the Department is taking many areas of which we may not have been aware. I commend the Department on the preventive measures.

There will be a national roll-out of CPD, continuing professional development, training for well-being for every teacher starting this year for three years. I take it then that every teacher will have the opportunity to avail of that training. I am glad to see that the two-year pilot programme on restorative justice, about which we heard quite a bit in our past eight sessions, will be rolled out in 2021. Teachers and principals have told me that it is a good programme and I think it will be a great asset.

It is up to individual boards of management to set mobile phone policies for students. Has the Department a view on this? Does it give advice on this?

When will the Education (Student and Parent Charter) Bill 2019 be enacted? The voice of the student is hugely important. The collaboration between school, parent and student is essential in terms of tackling bullying in any school situation. Several witnesses and stakeholders spoke to the committee about a roadmap of supports being needed. It was clear from various school bodies and patrons that they have different ways of dealing with bullying and preventive measures. Has the Department got a roadmap of all of the different types of measures that would help schools?

It was interesting to note that the relationships and sexuality education, RSE, programme was not within the remit of the review to set out what students should learn about in an updated version. I would have thought that it would have been something. The witnesses spoke about the public and stakeholder engagement. When will that be in place because we absolutely need to have an updated RSE curriculum in schools?

There have been numerous calls that emotional and therapeutic supports should be provided in every school. I agree with that. Does the Department envisage these being provided in schools? Apart from what teachers do, they need that access to professional supports. I accept the Minister sets policy. Is that something, however, that the Department would support?