Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputies Coppinger, Barry and Paul Murphy for tabling this Private Members' Bill. The Government will not be opposing the Bill. This is a very important area in which we need to make progress.

I have asked the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment, NCCA, to undertake a review not just of the content of the curriculum but of how it is taught, and in particular how young people can get factual information about sexual behaviour, orientation, consent and contraception, which is essential and is the wish of all parents. We need to look at the content of the curriculum because, while it was probably progressive in its time, the late 1990s, it has now certainly been superseded by a lot of changes. For example, the revolution in access to the Internet is a dramatic change to the environment in which all delivery of education needs to be considered. The change in respect of marriage equality and in attitudes, not to mention changes in the law, must also be reflected. The change in the definition of consent in recent years recognises changes in society and needs to be reflected accurately in the curriculum. The curriculum must be taught in an age-appropriate manner so that young people receive factual information appropriate to their age and stage of development.

I have asked the NCCA to look at a number of specific issues in respect of the curriculum, in particular the importance of consent and what it means. I have asked it to look at developments in contraception and at healthy, positive, sexual expression and relationships. I have asked it to look at the safe use of the Internet, at social media and its effects on relationships and self-esteem, and on LGBTQ+ matters. Some issues are dealt with well and there have been good recent developments in the content of the curriculum while others are older and need updating.

I have also asked the NCCA to look at how content is taught. As the committee dealing with the eighth amendment pointed out in its report, there are concerns that some elements of the curriculum might be missed because they are delivered as part of a religious education. It is only fair to point out, though, that all elements of the curriculum must be delivered regardless of the ethos of the school. The committee also found that many teachers were uncomfortable with teaching RSE, which raises issues about their own preparedness and planning and the support we provide to them in the form of continuing professional development, CPD, to equip them to deliver. A legitimate concern was raised about the fact that, in some cases, the teaching of these programmes is not led by the teacher but outsourced. Best practice is that teachers lead, but that does not preclude them from using other sources and materials. The committee was right to ask for a thorough review of sexual health and relationship education, and I have undertaken this.

A number of Deputies commented on the revolution that has occurred in Internet access since the curriculum was first conceived. There are genuine concerns about Internet safety and the abuses that have developed on the Internet. I commend Webwise, which is an agency under my Department, for the fantastic progress it has made in developing material such as Be in Ctrl, and Internet safety lockers on sexting, as well as a number of other worthwhile programmes, the most recent of which involved 80 student ambassadors who deliver Webwise by means of student-led intervention in their own schools. I was pleased that the recent all-party committee on children had a discussion on Internet safety. There was agreement on all sides of the House that the quality of the material being developed by Webwise was of a very high standard. We have to make sure high-quality material is delivered in an effective way in all schools.

Many have commented on the coarsening of relationships by easy access to pornography, and this is a genuine concern, so it is crucial we equip young people with the appropriate capacities and to be discerning and respectful so that they have healthy relationships. It is important that schools play their part in providing this in an effective way and that young people get access to factual and objective information regardless of the ethos of their school. Ethos is important and it does provide young people with a very strong moral anchor in their own attitudes to sexuality and relationships. It provides a very wholesome and strong anchor in the personal development of many people and I respect that, but equally, as Minister for Education and Skills, I am determined that we will have a programme of education on sexuality and relationships that is modern, recognises the realities of our communities and the diversity within them and respects the importance of informed consent in all relationships.

These are issues of major concern. The NCCA is best placed to undertake this work. It will have access to consultations carried out on the broadest possible basis. It will have regard to research being carried out in second level schools by the Crisis Pregnancy Agency, for example, and it will benefit from the input of many stakeholders in the education world.

We could quibble about some of the content of the Bill. A criticism I have is that providing in primary legislation the material that should be covered in a programme could be limiting in the longer term as issues such those in question develop. We would not want to have to go back to primary legislation every time we wanted to update a curriculum. That, however, is an issue that can be discussed. There are constitutional considerations that must be borne in mind in enacting any legislation. We must make sure we stay on the right side of those because there are constitutional requirements in Articles 42 and 44. It is important that any legislation, as it develops, respects these.

I fully respect, however, the spirit in which this legislation has been tabled by the Deputies concerned. I hope the review the NCCA is undertaking will become available in a timely manner. It is important that the council be given the time to consult those who have a legitimate right to have their say, and it is important that the best professional input be received because the curriculum ought to be designed by people with experience in curriculum development, continuous professional development and teaching. With respect to all the drafters of the Bill, some of whom are education experts, we have to ensure in primary legislation that we respect others who have a role to play, and that is why I believe the appropriate way of proceeding is to get the report back from the NCCA. It will be available to us as we work on this legislation in due course.

I thank the Deputies for introducing this Bill. The Government will not be opposing it.

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