Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I taught in a school with a Catholic ethos for 36 years and my colleagues and I were doing exactly what the Bill is proposing. Our relationships and sexuality programmes were factual and objective and contraception was covered in a very comprehensive way. We drew up some of the programmes ourselves, others we took from other countries and we also brought in outside agencies. The Dublin Aids Alliance, as it was then known, was very progressive on the issue.

While ethos may be an issue in some schools that was not my experience nor that of many of my teaching colleagues. My school was involved in the pilot project for the On My Own Two Feet programme, which was very progressive, and which became the basis for the social, personal and health education, SPHE, programme. Even though the curriculum dates to 1994 it included subjects such as identity, self esteem, feelings, decision making and assertiveness, which are all still very relevant today. The programme was positively and independently evaluated but vital to its success was the training of the teachers. It took a considerable commitment from teachers, including weekend work, to avail of the training provided. There is a need for specific training for teachers involved in such work. Timetabling is also an issue because it requires a commitment on the part of schools and we know there are conflicting demands on the timetable. Such a subject cannot be an add-on to fill up a teacher's hours, one who may not have the skill set nor interest and who might not be comfortable in delivering such a programme.

The debate needs to be widened to cover other social issues. I speak from the perspective of my recent work with young people in the north inner city. I refer to such issues as drug and alcohol abuse, other addictions such as gambling and social media and cyberbullying. There is a need for a timetabled programme in schools with trained teachers because a different skill set is required. Such a programme would equip young people to make informed decisions, be it about their sexual identity, sexual relations, drugs, alcohol or gambling. We could call it philosophy but it is basically about the need to give young people the ability to think critically. The role of parents is vital and also the community and youth projects that are in place.

I hope the Minister will launch the report which came out of all the discussions with young people, schools, youth workers and counsellors. It is called, Let's Get Specific, and it is about all the issues I raised and giving young people the ability to think critically and make informed decisions.

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