Fiona O'Loughlin (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister and Minister of State for attending. I apologise that I could not be here earlier. I was taking part in an important debate on bullying and harassment in third level institutions in the Seanad.

I commend all of the work that has been done throughout the country to get schools open, which was a significant and important priority for the Minister. There was a level of unprecedented funding devoted to getting the schools open. There are always going to be difficulties and challenges that arise and we are never sure they are going to be challenges until they do arise. As they crop up, it is important that they are dealt with quickly and decisively. One comment that a principal made to me was on the possible use of a living document that could be changed and adapted in the context of dealing with the pandemic, as opposed to circulars coming out all the time. Such a development might work very well.

I got to hear some of the debate on the Cork Life Centre and I was very interested in the work that it did previously. I appreciate that the Minister is trying to find a solution now. There has to be scope for similar types of education programmes around the country. Are there any plans for that?

The report on school bullying - as the Minister will be aware the committee held eight different sessions to discuss that subject - is a extremely important. When people’s lives are being impacted very negatively, with, at times, long-term consequences, it was very important area that we made a large number of recommendations, namely, 25. I had the opportunity to read the part of the Minister’s opening statement in which comment was made on some of the recommendations. The making available of emotional counselling and the therapeutic supports for every school is a key recommendation we made. Is there something in this that could be delivered?

As an aside, there was a very sad situation in a school in my area last week whereby a young girl in sixth class died from cancer only two weeks after she was diagnosed. I spoke to the class teacher last week who informed me that NEPS was fantastic and that it helped in a very significant way. This was her first, and hopefully her last, time to ever have to experience something like this within a class. She thought the service was excellent and I felt it was important to make a note of that and of how we support our young people through what life throws at them. To have those emotional and therapeutic supports available would be very good.

I also want to ask about the possibility of the FUSE programme being rolled out and about the Roots of Empathy programme from Barnardos? As we are talking about bullying and promoting positive mental health, this is very important. I know that the Minister has been doing a good deal of work through the Bringing Live Arts to Students and Teachers, BLAST, programme in the arts within and outside the school community. Can the Minister also talk to us a little bit about those programmes as well, please?