Ulick Burke (Fine Gael)

The dramatic increase in bullying at school referred to by Senator Tuffy cannot go unnoticed. The response of the Minister and the Department of Education and Science to the task force report of early 2006 is totally inadequate. The provision of a learning support classroom for bullies in schools is a total failure on the part of the Minister to respond nationally to the developing situation.

Currently, 30 schools in the country have this facility, inadequate as it is. Some 720 national schools throughout the country have had no response whatever to this problem. In the 33 schools outside Dublin where the survey was done, with approximately 2,350 students, a third of girls and 44% of boys were either verbally or physically abused. A scenario is developing which needs urgent attention. The failure of the Minister to give the attention should be taken to task.

It is important action is taken, as Senator Tuffy stated. If students lose out in the early stages of education, they lose out altogether. If children are bullied at primary school level, they will carry the traits of it into second level and beyond. Other research into the tragic deaths that have occurred of young people around the country has shown that suicide can be traced back to bullying in school which resulted in a loss of confidence. I urge the Deputy Leader to make immediate contact with the Minister to ask her to implement the recommendations of this year's task force report on a national basis as a matter of urgency. This matter is too serious for it to be allowed to continue with only a pilot scheme in place.