Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the opportunity to speak to this new legislation, which forms part of both the debate on child safety and the broader debate on education. Children and pupils will not be able to learn properly or feel safe or secure in a school or class unless they are protected from bullying. As well as being a personal safety and security issue, bullying is a major barrier to pupils attaining a proper education and creates a serious distraction from academic achievements. If it is allowed to continue, it can destroy a child's educational future. There are two major wrongs involved in bullying and while the Bill addresses parts of the jigsaw, I do not agree with all of its provisions.

The most important aspect of this debate is the need to provide for the maximum safety and protection for victims of bullying. Their safety comes first. Anti-bullying actions fail when immediate and direct action is not taken against the bully. Where action is taken, the victim is made to feel safe, his or her peer group gets the message that bullying is not tolerated and the community sees that action has been taken. Dithering and failure to act make the situation worse.

The Bill proposes to amend the Education (Welfare) Act 2000 to provide for the imposition of binding mandatory measures on the board of management of schools to ensure the welfare of the child is adequately safeguarded in respect of all forms of bullying that may occur within the school. Bullying outside school premises is a major issue, as I am aware from my previous occupation. We must be conscious that children who are bullied in the schoolyard or classroom can be bullied in other environments.

The Bill states clearly the definition of bullying and addresses the different forms it can take as well as the different motivations behind it.

Many DEIS and poor schools have policies on bullying and are implementing them in a strong and commendable way. I welcome the debate and will support the legislation.

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