Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I wish to raise again the importance of a new relationship and sexual education programme. We know there is a problem with gender violence and domestic abuse in this country and all the advocates for change agree that a relationship and sexual education programme is essential. We have spoken to the Irish Second-Level Students' Union, ISSU, and the Union of Students in Ireland, USI. It is essential that there be a new programme. There is worry about the timeline from the Department. It is going to have the first material available for consultation in the first quarter of 2022, but that is just for the junior cycle. There is nothing about the senior cycle and nothing that I am aware of relating to primary schools. With every school year this matter is getting more urgent to interrupt the cycle of gender violence. I ask the Taoiseach to refer back to the House at some point and to ask the Minister for Education to set out a schedule for all stages of age-appropriate sexual education that is appropriate and can help to break the cycle of violence we have experienced for so many generations.

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