Fidelma Healy Eames (Fine Gael)

I thank the Independent Senators for tabling this motion. It is something I should have done myself before now. Back in 1996, I was one of the first teachers in the State to train as a relationships and sexuality education tutor. Prior to that, I was involved in the development of the programme that was the precursor to the social, personal and health education programme, in which role my colleagues and I contributed liberally to the development of the SPHE curriculum at primary level. Having met many teachers at in-service level, I am aware, as Senator Mary Moran observed, that there are wonderful programmes out there. The programme is not the problem; what is at issue is the practice and the level of difficulty around teaching such sensitive material.

One of the main difficulties for teachers is the lack of time within the curriculum for SPHE. It is generally considered a soft subject, particularly at second level and, as such, does not have the same currency as an examination subject. We are naive if we expect a subject like SPHE to have the same value in parents' eyes, in our points-driven system, as an examination subject. It is a question of priorities. Teachers and principals are largely guided by parents' priorities and will align their teaching priorities accordingly. If both the SPHE teacher and the mathematics teacher are absent, the principal will be far more concerned about securing substitute cover for the latter.

In my experience, schools value SPHE only when there is a crisis in regard to mental health, suicide, pregnancy or severe bullying. The problem with that approach is that it is reactive rather than proactive. The Minister is the only person who can change this by offering leadership to schools. The current situation will not change without his intervention. He is already taking action in a roundabout way, although it may in fact be deliberate. For example, if he proceeds with his proposal to introduce 50% continuous assessment at junior cycle level and confine students to studying eight subjects, that will open up space in the curriculum whereby the "life" subjects, namely, RSE and SPHE, can be accommodated. However, there is a major difficulty in accommodating these subjects within the curriculum at senior cycle level. Having said that, my son, who has just completed transition year, recently informed me that he and his fellow students are learning about sex. He was anxious that I should not feel obliged to tell him about the subject because, he said, he was getting the information in other ways, including at school. Clearly, his school is offering lessons on the subject in some shape or form.

For many teachers, the relationships and sexuality education programme presents personal challenges. I spoke to one teacher who was incredulous at having to deliver the subject matter, telling me that he would not even speak about his feelings to his wife, let alone to his students. We cannot expect all teachers to be comfortable teaching the subject and many schools are bringing in guest speakers to deliver the programme. While that approach is fine, it is neither integrated nor holistic and it conveys the message that it is an add-on subject. I have seen children asking questions of guest speakers which they would never ask their teachers. I recall queries such as "How do homosexuals do it?". These are the type of questions they want answered. The class teacher may not be able to address a question like that because it conflicts with the ethos of the school and is not written into school policy.

All of the evidence shows we must be open and age appropriate in responding to young people's questions about sexuality. Above all, we must not seek to evade the question but rather to provide some type of suitable answer. Having said that, I would be the first to acknowledge that finding the right language is difficult. Open as I am, I have been asked questions by my own children at inappropriate times to which I have given the most ludicrous answers. A teacher of my acquaintance - considered a very open, up-to-date and informed person - told me of an occasion when she was driving to Galway with her children and it was announced on the news that condoms had been found on a beach in France. When her nine year old ask what a condom is, she told him it is a "condominium" or type of house. She knew if she attempted to answer honestly, it would set off a spiral of questions on why, when and how one might have use for a condom. The material is not easy and we must ensure the engagement takes place in the right environment and context and at the right time.