Paschal Mooney (Fianna Fail)

My intervention is directed at the Minister for Education and Skills but as the Minister of State, Deputy Lynch, and I have previously exchanged opinions on this area in its wider context she will understand what I am about to state but may not agree with it. Yesterday, I raised a matter on the Adjournment which was taken by the Minister of State, Deputy Lynch, on behalf of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs. This was on support for the Foróige Big Brothers Big Sisters project. I could not help but reflect on one of the references made on SPHE, which is that it allows discussions on feelings and emotions, personal safety, making decisions relating to others, communications, resolving conflict, dealing with bullying and citizen and media education.

Foróige has run out of funds to continue the Big Brothers Big Sisters project but there seems to be a relationship between it and certain elements of the SPHE programme, which as has been pointed out, is only at junior level. Perhaps there could be joined-up thinking between Foróige's Big Brothers Big Sisters project and the Department of Education and Skills on using the expertise built up by Foróige on many aspects of human emotion and the development of young people. Yesterday, the Minister of State and I discussed the fact that many case histories of children in the project relate to issues of bullying and low self-esteem, which seem to be a significant part of the SPHE curriculum. Perhaps there is a basis for discussion between Foróige and the Department. We have discovered the Big Brothers Big Sisters project is very expensive and perhaps joined-up thinking might push it out to second level where it will not be available because of the economic situation.