Joanna Tuffy (Labour)

——especially in light of the raft of stealth taxes that have been brought in by this Government over the past few years.

It is reported in today's The Irish Times that the TCD anti-bullying centre carried out a study on the level of bullying in primary schools, which is at 30%. There is a high rate of bullying against boys in primary schools in particular. One of the authors of the report commented that since the last report was carried out 14 years ago, bullying has not reduced in schools and the level of bullying now is similar to what was reported in 1993. A pilot programme to prevent bullying has been in operation in schools in County Donegal. I ask the Minister for Education and Science to consider having a nation-wide programme for the prevention of bullying in schools.