Robbie Gallagher (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Addressing the curse of sexual violence is a priority for every one of us and we must do all we can to stamp it out in all sections of Irish life. With this in mind, I very much welcome the Government initiative undertaken in third level institutions. An action plan has been published to tackle sexual violence and harassment in all our third level institutions. I was shocked and extremely saddened by the results of the survey carried out by the Union of Students in Ireland last year. Its survey of 6,000 young people found that 30% of female students had experienced non-consensual sexual penetration.This highlights the need for this plan. I welcome the fact that among some of the measures to be introduced, classes on sexual consent are to be rolled out across all third level institutions, starting off with first-year students. Colleges will have to put in place new mechanisms for anonymous reporting of sexual harassment. Staff will also receive additional training in these areas. These are just a few of the many recommendations.

It is critically important that we create a safe environment for all our students and, indeed, staff. Many young students will head off in September for their first experience of college life. It is vital that we foster a culture of respect, dignity and integrity across all sections.