Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Ensuring all students and staff, including LGBTQI+ students and staff, feel supported, welcomed and secure within their schools is a key priority for the Department of Education.

The Department of Education supports a number of programmes that support LGBTQI+ students and staff. For example, since 2013, the Department has provided funding to BeLonG To for StandUp! Awareness which is a campaign that supports school communities to take a stand against bullying that is homophobic, transphobic or biphobic. The Deputy observed that there are issues other than bullying but it is all part of creating a good atmosphere in schools.

The campaign also seeks to raise awareness in schools about the experience of LGBTQI+ students. The Department has also collaborated with advocacy bodies and partners to prepare a resource document for schools to support LGBTQI+ students, which has been made available online and to schools.

The action plan on bullying and the anti-bullying procedures for primary and post-primary schools set out the Department's approach to tackling bullying and promoting an anti-bullying culture in schools. As the Deputy is aware, the Department has recently commenced a review of the action plan and the anti-bullying procedures that will take account of research and developments since they were published. It will specifically consider cyberbullying, identity bullying and sexual harassment, among other areas.

Access to relationships and sexuality education, RSE, is an important right for students, as was referenced earlier, and it is important that the social personal health education, SPHE, and RSE programmes in place in our schools are relevant, up-to-date and inclusive of all our students and staff. This is reflected in the programme for Government commitment to develop inclusive and age appropriate RSE and SPHE curricula.

Following an extensive review of the RSE curriculum, focusing on a range of topics including healthy positive sexual expression and relationships and LGBTQI+ matters, the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment, NCCA, published the report on the review of relationships and sexuality education in primary and post-primary schools. I earlier outlined to the Deputy the progress we are making in that regard, particularly in respect of the specifications for the junior cycle that will be published imminently, followed by public consultation and roll-out into our schools. In tandem, preparation work is under way for similar reviews of the senior cycle and at primary level.

Specifically in terms of staff, it is also worth noting that under employment law, employers, including schools, have a duty to ensure the health and safety of their employees in the workplace as set out in the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005.

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