Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

We have worked very closely with the Ministers for Education, and Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to examine education right from primary school level through to our colleges of further education. Clear timelines for the development of a new curriculum have been set out looking at it in an age-appropriate way with a timeline for the junior cycle and senior cycle and also for primary schools. That will involve engagement. There has been a level of engagement to date on certain aspects of a new SPHE and RSE curriculum. It is important to have that engagement. There is an understanding that this will be done in an age-appropriate way.

The Departments of Education, and Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science are taking a number of other actions specifically looking at consent. The Minister, Deputy Harris, has been to the fore in rolling this out and working with universities and colleges in engaging with students as they come into college on the issue of consent. Separately, they are looking at bullying and harassment in schools and making sure that our teachers are fully equipped to be able to respond to that type of environment and dynamic. It is important that they have the structures in place to support children going through a difficult situation.

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