Ms Nuala Ward:

We get a significant number of complaints about bullying. They are difficult because our message is we cannot substantiate bullying. We could not call another child a bully. That is not our role. The focus is that if a child is profoundly unhappy in school, what is going on? What can we do to make things better? When we were growing up, if the Cathaoirleach does not mind, we could go home, go to our bedroom and we did not have to see our bully, but the critical piece from what children have told us is that now they do not have that privilege anymore. Their bully can follow them home. Groups of bullies can follow them home on social media by being excluded or on Discord and all of that. That is so devastating for any child. Anything we can do to protect children in this online world, especially when they are very young and do not understand, is essential.