Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy Kitt for raising the issue. He has had a particular interest in it for some time and I welcome the fact that he has raised it again today. However, we do not have the additional resources that are necessary. We have focused in a major way on bullying in the school place, both within the classroom and outside and within the entire school community. The guidelines on bullying within the Department of Education and Skills were last examined in 1993 and 20 years later we have focused on the manifestation of bullying in all of its current forms, including identity bullying and specifically in the context of Travellers being bullied or harassed because of their identity and special ethnic background.

What the Deputy has raised is constructive. Discrimination, bullying and ostracisation are in a related space to bullying, as defined within the new guidelines on bullying. The guidelines have been made available to various groups and through the Irish Traveller Movement I urge them to utilise that particular vehicle which is being funded. I have allocated €500,000 to promote the guidelines in various forms. I ask Deputy Kitt and the Irish Children’s Rights Alliance to align the new guidelines with the yellow flag programme to achieve the same outcome and desired results he has brought to the attention of the House.

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