Kathleen Funchion (Carlow-Kilkenny, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

We will support the Bill. I commend Deputy Ruth Coppinger and her colleagues for bringing it forward. The ad hocnature of the SPHE and RSE programmes is failing to fully equip young people with positive and informed outlooks on their sexual health, self-care, body image, relationships, gender identity, contraception, consent and sexuality. Now, more than ever, it is very hard to be a young person growing up in the kind of society we have, when there is so much access to smartphones and the Internet. I thought times were difficult when I was a teenager, but I would hate to be growing up now. I have much sympathy for young people, on whom there are many demands and pressures. It is a very difficult time for them. The one thing we can do is to have a proper curriculum, allow them to be informed and have all of the information they need, much more than when we were growing up. I remember that in sixth class we saw a video called "Ready, Steady, Grow" and that was it. There was never any discussion after that. We were probably more traumatised than anything coming out of it. We need to change that attitude which, unfortunately, is prevalent in the country.

The characteristic spirit clause in the Education Act 1998 means that ethos-based schools can essentially derogate from certain aspects of a curriculum that they believe contravene the characteristic spirit of a school. This needs to be addressed and will require political will and bravery on the Minister's part. The Department has sent circulars stating schools are required to teach all aspects of family planning, STIs and sexual orientation, but they have also stated schools should uphold their ethos. This creates a grey area and leaves teachers too afraid or vulnerable to suggest inclusive elements. That is a constant theme. Teachers need certainty and proper resources to guide their students through their formative years. Many teachers do not feel supported, that they are adequately trained, resourced or assisted to teach all aspects of SPHE or RSE. They believe that, by and large, schools treat it as a box-ticking exercise and possibly as a potential distraction from other core subjects. Many teachers have received no formal training in delivering the models and there is no strong insistence on the part of either schools or the Department to achieve the core objectives of the curriculum.

The current curriculum is ad hocand lacks formal characteristics, sufficient teaching hours, teacher training and support and updated curriculum handbooks. Students with disabilities, both intellectual and physical, can require tailored curriculums to enjoy and receive the same level of information as other students. As much as anyone else, they deserve to know their rights in asserting and withdrawing consent or how to stay safe from STIs, crisis pregnancies, etc. As well as the Bill, I believe the Minister should, through a circular or otherwise, ensure RSE contains aspects that cater for LGBTQI students, students with disabilities, modules on consent and all contraception options in a more certain way than was done in Circular 0037/2010 and give teachers adequate security without concern about school ethos.

I reiterate that we will support the Bill.

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