Maria Byrne (Fine Gael)
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I welcome the Minister to the Chamber. On a recent trip to Limerick, I mentioned my interest in using artificial intelligence, social media and a digital strategy in educational supports. In the school we visited, the Minister saw that the pupils used iPads as an aid in education. Many schools have done so well over years with textbooks but more is required in these days of digital strategies. I welcome yesterday's announcement of €50 million in the digital strategy for schools.

We are now seeing artificial intelligence in every walk of life, even in farms, factories and schools. It is a part of the future. Digital media plays a really big part in this process. If we are going to educate people, we must start at primary school level and bring them with us. When those people go on to second and third level, they will be so in tune that they will use the technology to the best of their knowledge and in the best way possible.

I know parents may be fearful about the use of social media or artificial intelligence but if people are educated properly in its use, including both its harmful side and positive elements, it is something that could stay with those people for the rest of their lives. Certainly, it is something that we are beginning to see everywhere, as I have already stated. It is really important as the lives of so many people have been changed by it as well, including by robotics. Many people are involved with the research and we are promoting this in a very positive way. Companies use these strategies to drive their future and make their operations more cost-effective. I would like the Minister to consider looking at these technologies as we should start when people are young. Bringing them with us is the way to go.

Joe McHugh (Donegal, Fine Gael)
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Gabhaim buíochas leis an Seanadóir fá choinne an seans labhairt faoin ábhar seo inniu. Bhí mé fíorbhuíoch as an chuireadh agus as an fháilte a fuair mé i gContae Luimnigh coicís ó shin. Táim sásta leis an dul chun cinn agus leis an sárobair atá ag dul ar aghaidh sa réigiún sna bunscoileanna, meánscoileanna agus ollscoileanna uilig. I thank the Senator for the very warm welcome to Limerick. It was eye-opening to see the level of ambition and work that is going on at both primary and secondary levels, as well as in the third level sector. There is a great impact from the regional approach.

I thank the Senator for raising this issue and allowing me to address it. I am pleased to advise the House that the primary curriculum is currently being redeveloped. As part of this, a paper on coding in the primary curriculum will be submitted to my Department in quarter 2 this year by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment to inform the development of the primary curriculum as a whole, as well as the computational thinking aspect of the new primary mathematics curriculum.A draft overview of the redeveloped primary curriculum will be published in the autumn and will form the basis for extensive further consultation, providing an opportunity to input views and concerns on what the curriculum should contain.

Senators may be aware that under the current primary curriculum, social, personal and health education, SPHE, is the context in which social and emotional learning is addressed. The strand unit of media education at primary level enables pupils to become aware of and learn about various forms of communication, including digital communication, and to think critically about them.

My Department does not promote or advocate the use of social media in schools, nor does it endorse any one educational platform. Such decisions are taken by the board of management of a school which has ultimate responsibility for the direct governance of a school, including the safeguarding of students' welfare. The Digital Strategy for Schools 2015-2020, however, sets out my Department's policy on the effective use of digital technologies in teaching, learning and assessment. A key action of the strategy is the promotion of the responsible and ethical use of the Internet and related technologies.

In addition, there are a number of resources and supports available to schools. The action plan on bullying focuses on support for schools, teacher training, research and awareness raising and aims to ensure that all forms of bullying, including cyberbullying, are addressed. Awareness on Internet safety for schools is carried out by the Professional Development Service for Teachers, otherwise known as PDST, technology in education in partnership with the safer Internet Ireland project. Webwise, an Internet safety initiative co-funded by my Department and operated by the PDST technology in education, promotes the autonomous, effective and safer use of the Internet by young people through a sustained information and awareness strategy that targets parents, teachers and children with consistent and relevant messages, including guidance on acceptable usage in schools.

A range of resources has been developed which helps teachers integrate Internet safety into teaching and learning in their schools. Last month, the HTML Heroes resource was launched, which aims to assist and support educators when teaching children aged between seven and ten years about the safe and responsible use of the Internet, including social media. PDST technology in education also provides continuing professional development, CPD, and resources that help teachers integrate the safe and ethical use of the Internet into teaching and learning.

Under the broadband for schools programme, schools are provided with a portfolio of network services, including the security and filtering of content. The Government Action Plan for Online Safety 2018-2019 is being implemented by a sponsors' group under the chair of the Department of Education and Skills. Yesterday, my colleague, the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment, Deputy Richard Bruton, announced his intention to bring forward an online safety Bill, which will set out how we can ensure the further safety of children online. The legislation will involve, for the first time, setting a clear expectation for service providers to take reasonable steps to ensure the safety of the users of their service.

Maria Byrne (Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister for his reply and welcome the fact that a review is under way. It is up to people to make their submissions to the review. I should have mentioned that a digital safety officer will be appointed, as the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment announced yesterday. The initiative is most welcome across the board because the two initiatives go hand in hand. This is all about safety. Recent scaremongering about false sites caused a problem for a while. This initiative is the way forward. It is most welcome that digital technology and artificial intelligence are being brought into the classroom and it is up to schools to embrace such technology. I look forward to seeing whatever changes are made in that regard.

Joe McHugh (Donegal, Fine Gael)
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The Senator summed up the position very well. In my first months in this job, I have deliberately immersed myself in my new role. Visiting primary schools is a big part of this and it is obvious that there is momentum in primary schools. Teachers are embracing new ways of exploring the new world that we will live in. This is not being done in silos because there is co-operation and collaboration between primary schools, secondary schools and industry. More importantly, the third level sector is examining ways in which it can work in collaboration with primary school students. There is a creative world out there. The message coming from the classrooms is that students are embracing new ways of doing things but, ultimately, protections are in place and parents are very eager to ensure that there are protections for whatever form of access to online platforms their children are using. That is something of which I am conscious. Whether it is artificial intelligence, augmented reality, virtual reality, robotics or automation, every sector is looking at the holistic development of young people, embracing that new world and giving our young people the coping and other skills necessary to face the challenges that new world presents. We want to develop coping skills in these young people. We are fortunate that teachers are rising to the challenge by retraining and reskilling. They are on their own learning curves. There is positive energy in this area.

I thank the Senator for raising this issue. I concur with her that there is an opportunity for people to feed into the new primary school curriculum changes. That door is wide open.