Paul Connaughton (Galway East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am grateful for the opportunity to speak on the Bill. As someone who has worked with young people during what is a period of great transition in their lives, I am only too aware of the devastating impact bullying can have on a person's life. Everyone in this Chamber is aware of the devastation that bullying can wreak in the lives of people of all ages, but young people are particularly vulnerable. I welcome the Government's determination to take action on bullying. While the Bill might not be the answer it provides a welcome opportunity to discuss the issue.

Students in schools are particularly vulnerable to bullying and often feel cornered in a situation where they are made to feel increasingly powerless. The Government must aim to send a strong signal, through a wide range of initiatives, to anyone contemplating bullying in a school setting that it is a most serious offence and one which will be properly documented and dealt with at the highest level. School days should be among the happiest times of a person's life and given that the Government requires people to attend school, it behoves us to ensure the school environment is as welcoming as possible for all. While homophobic bullying is a particular worry, the avenues for bullying have multiplied with the increasing presence of the Internet in all our lives, be it via smartphones, camera phones and a variety of websites that can be used for negative purposes by bullies. Research demonstrates that young gay people are at a higher risk of bullying and the sad fact remains that homophobic bullying remains under-reported and is one of the least challenged types of bullying in schools. Cyberbullying has laid waste to the lives of many teenagers, sometimes with particularly tragic consequences. Education is needed in a variety of settings to ensure that young people are fully aware of when they overstep the line in terms of bullying. Education on bullying is not just needed in the classroom; all adults must be educated on bullying, and such programmes could benefit many schools, homes and workplaces throughout the country.

We must remember that many children are coming to school from homes where derogatory comments about gay people and people of a different nationality are commonplace and therefore, education must begin in people's homes and in particular in the homes of school-going children. Parents must recognise that children will mimic their actions and if their actions are racist or if they indulge in bullying in the home or in cyberbullying, then their children are at risk of being taken to task for the very actions they have learned from their parents. The adults of tomorrow are learning from the adults of today and if respectful behaviour is what is required in a school setting, that is only made possible if it is demonstrated in a home setting. The Bill, while reflecting the fact that every Member in the Chamber is committed to tackling bullying, might not be the answer but the best way forward is one which reflects best international practice, which requires that the onus for tackling bullying is spread as widely as possible through all parts of the community.

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