Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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Question 145: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if he will support a matter (details supplied). [35269/08]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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My Department funds and provides a range of supports to address the eradication of bullying in schools. Disaggregating all costs related to bullying across these measures that are sometimes part of an integrated policy, is not fully possible.

Each school is required to have in place a policy which includes specific measures to deal with bullying behaviour, within the framework of an overall school Code of Behaviour and Discipline. Such a code, developed through consultation with the whole school community and properly implemented, can be the most influential measure in countering bullying behaviour in schools.

My Department has issued guidelines and templates to schools in devising measures to prevent and deal with instances of bullying behaviour and to increase awareness among school management authorities of their responsibilities in this regard. "Guidelines on Countering Bullying Behaviour" were issued in 1993 and drawn up following consultation with representatives of school management, teachers and parents, and are sufficiently flexible to allow each school authority to adapt them to suit the particular needs of their school.

In 2007 my Department published policy templates for post-primary schools in five key areas, including anti-bullying on its website as part of our ongoing efforts in this regard. The template documents are not prescriptive, but rather highlight possible approaches and potential material for inclusion in school policies and takes account of more recent legislative and regulatory changes. Reference is also made to issues of contemporary concern such as the need to tackle text bullying, cyber-bullying and homophobic bullying.

The National Educational Welfare Board (NEWB) has developed further guidelines for schools on Codes of Behaviour, as provided for under section 23 of the Education (Welfare) Act 2000. These guidelines have been informed by broad consultation.

Once schools have had an opportunity to familiarise themselves with the NEWB Guidelines, my Department will commence the process of revising and updating its own Guidelines. This review will take into account issues such as legislative developments, the involvement of the support services available to schools, technological advancements such as use of the Internet, e-mail, mobile phones and camera phones and the latest developments in international best practice on dealing with bullying behaviour.

The National Behaviour Support Service (NBSS) was established in 2006 in response to the recommendation in "School Matters", the report of the Task Force on Student Behaviour in Second Level Schools. The NBSS is currently working with 50 Post Primary Schools to promote and support positive student behaviour.

The work of the NBSS is carried out by a multi-disciplinary professional team comprising a National Co-ordinator, Assistant National Co-ordinators, Psychologists, Regional Development Officers, Literacy Development Officer, Research and Development Officer and Associates. Their current annual allocation is approximately €2 million.

The education of students in both primary and post-primary schools in relation to anti-bullying behaviour is part of the SPHE curriculum. SPHE is now a compulsory subject both at primary level and in the junior cycle of post-primary schools.

Funding is provided to support the provision of continuing professional development to enable teachers counter bullying. In 2008, €133,850 is being allocated towards the Dublin Cool Schools Pilot Project (DCSPP) which is a pilot anti-bullying support service for second-level schools. The DCSPP promotes a whole school approach to the management of bullying; using the Cool School Programme it provides training and support at school, class and individual levels.

It is consistent with the Department of Education and Science Guidelines on Countering Bullying in Primary and Post-Primary Schools. This project recognises that SPHE is the overarching context for dealing with bullying in schools and indeed, in that context the Primary Professional Development service and SPHE Support Service also provide support to schools in addressing the issue of bullying within the context of SPHE and the Health Promoting School.

Other training in the area of bullying includes a range of summer courses. An online summer course Awareness & Prevention of Bullying among Adults & Children was run, in 2008, by Hibernia College with 274 participants. The Drumcondra Education Centre, ran several courses summer courses for 1,300 participants during 2008, which had elements of anti bullying included in their content. These included Promoting Positive Behaviour and Managing Classroom Behaviour.

My Department through the National Centre for Technology in Education addresses the issue of cyberbullying in the context of its programme of initiatives in the area of internet safety and provides funding in relation thereto. The initiatives often cover a range of issues in addition to cyberbullying.