Robbie Gallagher (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Cuirim fáilte mhór roimh an Aire go dtí an Teach seo tráthnóna. A number of my colleagues and I are members of the Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills which does much work on a wide range of issues. The committee undertook some work recently on the sexual health and relationship education curriculum for schools and youth organisations. The committee sought submissions from groups and individuals and subsequently held a number of meetings at which these stakeholders were invited to give evidence.

The current RSE and social personal and health education, SPHE, curriculum was introduced, as the Minister will know, in 1999. Most people would agree that curriculum does not reflect the Irish society we live in today. For that reason, it was felt that the curriculum was inadequate and this was an appropriate time to review it. The increased use of smart phones and access to social media platforms expose our young people to all sorts and it is important that they are properly informed and advised as they travel through life's journey.

We must acknowledge, as the Minister did in his contribution, the work of our teachers who are currently working within the current curriculum and it is important that we acknowledge them for what they have done in that regard. It is very important that our young people are properly informed of all issues and the Minister has listed a number of them. It is important that we make sure they are as well equipped as possible, that they have respect and understanding for all the categories the Minister listed in his contribution. It is timely that we are having this conversation.

I also noted from the Minister's contribution that no decisions of any kind have been made and it is important to make that point. Parents are the prime educators of children and it is important that, whatever agreed policy or platform we ultimately produce at the end of this process, the vast majority of all the stakeholders buy into it if it is to be successful. That is also important.

I look forward to further discussions in this area and it is vitally important that whatever programme we ultimately end up with will inform our children to have respect for all sorts of individuals who they may encounter in their lives, that we have tolerance and that our young people are properly educated and guided through life's journey as they encounter it.