Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I hope that goes well. We really value your insight. It has been some time since those of us on the committee have been in the school system. Many changes have happened in that time, including in respect of anti-bullying policies in recent years. I hope many of them have been beneficial.

I will ask some general questions. Much of what we have been talking about concerns the importance of the bystander effect. I refer to people in a school stopping and intervening among their peers when they feel those peers are being bullied or carrying out bullying behaviour. Do you think your generation feels confident to intervene when they see something happening before them that is wrong and somebody is being bullied?

Even though they might feel it is wrong, will they let it slide or does he think they will intervene?

Many of the recommendations you have put forward are very strong. Some of them are ideas that other organisations have proposed as well, which helps us. It means that when we are formulating our report there is a consensus forming on a few ideas. What does he think about subjects such as social, personal and health education, SPHE, and relationships and sexuality education, RSE? Do they need to be changed significantly? Are students being given enough education on the diversity and differences in society and the different backgrounds students come from?