Dr. Patrick Sullivan:

----- in respect to that. Large efforts were made in awareness-raising and communication around the entire consultation. That is borne out in the number of responses we had to the consultation - over 3,500, many of which were from parents. We had the National Parents Council focus group, to which the Senator referred, in the Ashling Hotel at that time. There were a number of parents raising concerns. I met them after the meeting and also at a follow-up meeting. I outlined clearly to them the approaches in the curriculum, and the awareness-raising we have done to try to reach all teachers and all parents in that respect. We did information newsletters and emails to schools, and made direct attempts through local and national radio and print media outlets.

The awareness-raising with parents can be seen in the consultation numbers. The draft well-being document that was published contains the essential learning in well-being SPHE and RSE. The toolkit is something different. The toolkit is for teachers through pedagogical approaches and guidance, not in terms of content but in the “how” of the curriculum. The content of the curriculum is contained in the draft specifications. That is a very important distinction to make between the toolkit and the curriculum specification.

The Senator mentioned the reference to sexual identity on page 32 of the primary curriculum framework. It is there in the context of the Equal Status Act 2004.

It says “The framework is concerned with the best interest of every child”, and then lists the nine grounds of anti-discrimination, one of which is sexual identity. That is why that is included.