Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal North East, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I am happy to support my colleague, Deputy Jonathan O'Brien, and the Bill. However, it is a poor reflection on society that it is necessary in the first place. Up-to-date legislation is long overdue. The last guidelines on countering bullying in schools were circulated in 1993. School in 2013 is a different place from 1993 when the phrase "cyberbullying" would have been meaningless. It is imperative that our guidelines are updated to ensure technologies that were not around then do not slip through the net.

We must not underestimate the effects of persistent bullying through Facebook and other fora. The media have highlighted the tragedies in which bullying was associated with teenage suicides and we have experienced a number of these in my own county, Donegal, in the recent past. No child should ever feel so bullied that the only way to end the trauma is to end his or her own life. As legislators, we have a responsibility to ensure we do everything within our capability to prevent bullying from occurring in the first place. However, there is a wider issue regarding legislators. We have often heard Deputies pontificate in the Chamber on the issue of bullying and who have then felt comfortable making pronouncements on the way in which other Deputies dress. It is not only hypocritical, it is unacceptable. Furthermore, Deputies have affirmed their commitment to ending homophobic and transphobic bullying, yet they have refused to make a statement on or push to introduce same-sex marriage. I particularly welcome the comments by the US President, Barack Obama, in his inauguration speech, who has taken a lead on this issue. Hopefully, others will follow not just across the US but across the world. If all citizens are equal, that must be reflected in all aspects of our society and law. That is the strongest message we can send.

With regard to the broader issue of sexuality and gender equality, the lack of equality for certain groups goes to the core of why homophobic and transphobic bullying is viewed as acceptable in certain quarters of society. It is heartening that the Minister is open to updating anti-bullying guidelines in schools, but Members should also lead by example and fight all the underlying issues that lend themselves to bullying in general. There was a furore recently when Julie Burchill made transphobic comments in The Observer. However, closer to home, the journalist, Eilis O'Hanlon, made similar comments about transgender people which received must less attention. In my own county, a Fianna Fáil county councillor, Sean McEniff, and a Fine Gael town councillor, Eugene Dolan, attacked the entire Traveller community in a most disgraceful fashion. Eugene Dolan said all Travellers should be sent to Spike Island while Sean McEniff believes they should all be housed on their own. This is 2013 and we have public representatives and journalists who utter statements such as this. We then wonder why such commentary finds its way into schools.

It is up to everyone to speak out when they witness bullying, whether it is in the school yard, council chambers or the newspapers. I urge all Members to support the Bill. If Members are happy with the essentials in the Bill, I urge them to allow it to go forward to be amended on Committee Stage, if needs be. It is too important to become a victim of petty party politicking. All of us should be able to get behind the fundamental principles underpinning the legislation to safeguard children and assist principals, teachers and staff. Many Members are parents of school-going children and will understand its importance. We all have a responsibility as public representatives to ensure what we do and the actions we engage in are an inspiration and guide and a light shone on the path for the next generation. Some of the comments made by public representatives over the past week, including in my home county about Travellers, were shameful, bigoted and racist and it is no wonder they filter down to children in schools.

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