Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

129. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the extent to which her Department continues to monitor the level of school bullying at primary and second level schools; if particular issues have arisen which may benefit from specific attention; if traditional methods of dealing with the issue continue to be effective; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33936/15]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

This relates to the extent and scale of school bullying and the degree to which existing procedures are adequate in dealing with the issue.

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Deputy will be aware that my Department published new anti-bullying procedures for all primary and post-primary schools at the beginning of the 2013-2014 school year. The procedures are designed to give direction and guidance to school authorities and personnel in preventing and tackling school-based bullying behaviour among pupils. They include specific requirements on the use of prevention and education strategies and the consistent investigation, follow-up and recording of bullying behaviour. There is no requirement that schools report incidents of bullying behaviour to my Department. However, the procedures for schools include important new oversight arrangements that involve the school principal reporting regularly to the board of management and a requirement for the board to undertake an annual review of the school's anti-bullying policy and its implementation. Confirmation that the annual review has been completed must be provided to the parents' association and published on the school website.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Has the Minister had the opportunity to study the result of the reforms introduced and the effect they have had? Would it not be desirable to have schools report to the Department fairly regularly, with particular reference to the incidence of bullying in the respective schools?

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

We have been following up on finding out how parents and pupils feel about the anti-bullying procedures in schools. The information tells us there is a high degree of confidence among both parents and children with respect to what schools are doing to have a positive anti-bullying climate and responding where there are incidents of bullying. We monitor it in that way. For example, 98% of parents of primary school children and 93% of parents of post-primary school children are satisfied that their children feel safe in school. The response from students is somewhat similar to those percentages. We are aware there may be a small minority of schools that are still struggling to have good anti-bullying policies and responses. We must watch those, and we can use the school inspectorate and other ways to follow up. Generally speaking, the responsibility in how schools do their business goes through the board of management and principal. We have oversight with general procedures but, as I mentioned, we do not require them to report directly to us.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister. I return to the original theme of that question, namely, whether it might be desirable to have the schools report directly to the Department to ensure a universal application of the rules. Have any comparisons been made between the number of incidents reported in each of the past three or four years with a view to measuring the number of incidents after the new regulations were introduced? How many tragic incidents have occurred in schools which are deemed to have resulted from school bullying? Has a particular strategy been developed to address that issue?

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The inspectorate has an important role here, as it visits schools, and the whole-school evaluation process includes procedures relating to bullying, so we have those measures in place. I do not have specific statistics for what incidents of bullying we would be made aware of. I can come back to the Deputy on that if there are specific figures. It is one of those areas we need to monitor constantly because we have to ensure that what is in place in such areas is effective with regard to new issues like cyberbullying, for example. The information we have is that bullying is bullying, irrespective of the medium, and the same kind of preventative measures and interventions work as much for cyberbullying as for the more traditional forms of bullying of which we would be aware. It is an area we must monitor constantly. I will come back to the Deputy on the specifics of numbers.

Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I will allow a brief supplementary question from Deputy Jonathan O'Brien.

Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I fully endorse what Deputy Durkan has said in respect of mandatory reporting. That is an important element that needs to be implemented in order that we can get a more accurate picture of the types of bullying and the age groups, cohorts and different incidents. When the Minister published the guidelines, one of the recommendations was to review those guidelines after two years to see if there was a need to introduce legislation. Has that review taken place and has the Minister considered making bullying policy a legislative matter?

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Having the questions to parents and pupils is part of assessing the effectiveness of what is in place. I do not think the assessment of the guidelines has been completed, but I can get some timelines on that for the Deputy.

Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Deputy who tabled Question No. 130 is not here.