Ms Anna Keogh:

First, I thank the committee for the invitation. As I have spent the past four years researching the RSE programme, I am delighted to see it getting some much-needed attention. As we are here today to discuss the future of the programme, I will make some suggestions on content and will make suggestions on how new lessons could be facilitated and how teachers could be supported.

As for content, some matters need to be expanded upon in our current curriculum. First, the topic of consent needs to be interwoven into all lessons to showcase that although it is particularly relevant in relationships and sexual situations, it can be learned from day-to-day exchanges and does not need to be a big scary awkward conversation.

The topic of pleasure needs to be included and cited as a perfectly healthy reason to engage in sexual activity. In fact, if we actually talk about pleasure, it can be used as a measure of consent. Put simply, if it does not feel good, be that in one's head, in one's body or in one's gut instinct, then it is just not right.

In respect of equality, all the resources should be inclusive of all gender identities and sexual orientations. It is great that we have a separate resource but it does not need to be a separate issue. Our society has developed to include marriage equality and a Gender Recognition Act and these should be reflected in our resources also.

In respect of sexual activity, young people have reported in previous studies that they are engaging in sexual activity that is not intercourse. These types of activities need to become part of the conversation that we are having in schools.

Having regard to media literacy and pornography, young people are bombarded by media influences every day, many of which are sexualised. Media literacy lessons could help them to critically analyse the messages they receive and discussions on pornography could help them to acknowledge that it does always not portray reality.

I could go on and on about all of the information we could include in the RSE programme but as was mentioned in the last meeting here, a fully comprehensive programme is useless if the people who are teaching it do not feel well supported, are not well trained and if they are not comfortable.

I would like to encourage the Department of Education and Skills, the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment and all of the other stakeholders involved in RSE to utilise the services of professionals in this area. There are many individuals and organisations, some of which are here today, who do not have any other agenda than to provide fully comprehensive factual information on a wide range of topics. Qualified outside facilitators can provide innovative lesson plans, teacher training and support, additional, focused or more complex modules where needed, as well as parent workshops.

The model that I would propose is for each school to be assigned an RSE professional who would cover a number of schools in a catchment area. Such a professional would work with the whole school to support the RSE programme, keep up to date with matters arising in the media or any local matters that may need to be addressed, provide additional workshops when needed and partake in continual research and professional development, which would then be passed on to the teachers he or she was supporting in his or her schools. This would allow RSE to be recognised as an integral part of how we help young people in their development and growth and would assist teachers and parents in the already mammoth task of providing guidance to young people in the rapidly advancing world of today.