Catherine Byrne (Dublin South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Senator has spoken on a personal basis about what it is to be different from other people, or to identify as different from other people. My thoughts on it are very clear. Anybody who lives in a country and any child who goes to school has the right to be educated on all sexual relationships, no matter what relationship that is. We are living in a very different country from that in which lived in the past. Not too long ago, we a passed a referendum on gay marriage. It was a real opportunity to state this country has changed immensely over the past ten years.

Nobody who goes to primary school, secondary school or college should be discriminated against because of his or her sexuality, never mind the colour of his or her skin or the language he or she speaks. We live in a very different world. When young people feel they cannot openly speak about their sexuality in school and speak about who they are through their families, communities and, above all, through the education system will be a sorry day for us all. I have visited many schools, and teachers and principals have done a wonderful job in all the SPHE programmes, such as Walk Tall, to identify young people who may have, as the Senator said, come out of the closet. We are changing. Perhaps we do not have all our ducks in a row, but it is incumbent on us all, in particular the education system, to ensure no person is discriminated against because of his or her sexuality. Things are changing rapidly and we must continue this. I thank Senator for raising this very important issue.