Ms Annette Honan:

I will attempt to answer. The Senator gave a comprehensive and helpful overview of the curriculum opportunities that exist. To wind back, she mentioned a rights-based approach as being fundamental to RSE. We are in full agreement with that. Page 2 of the new specification states: "This specification supports teachers in adopting an approach that is inclusive in accordance with principles of equality and human rights." It is about young people having a right to this education and all young people having that right. When we speak about inclusivity, the specification states:

...this ensures that all students can see themselves, their families and their communities reflected across the learning and can learn to value diversity as a source of enrichment. SPHE thus contributes to building a cohesive, compassionate and fair society; one that is inclusive of all genders, sexualities, ethnicities, religious beliefs/worldviews, social classes and abilities/disabilities.

We are pointing there to the intersectionality of all of these issues and wanting to raise awareness around that.

CSPE has changed from being a syllabus document of 70 hours to a 100-hour course. In many ways, it has been strengthened within the curriculum in terms of its space. With that comes an enhanced status also because that is how teachers view it, how many classes they are timetabled for. Instead of one class a week, teachers may be teaching both CSPE and SPHE, which are similar in time, over five class periods over the three years. It might be two class periods in first year, two in second year and one in third year, or whatever way the school decides.