Martin Ferris (Kerry North-West Limerick, Sinn Fein)
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Question 237: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of primary school teachers who have received training in anti-bullying procedures under the professional development support for teachers programme since September 2010; the number of teachers who received training in the stay safe programme in the three years from 2007; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18448/11]

Martin Ferris (Kerry North-West Limerick, Sinn Fein)
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Question 238: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he is satisfied there are adequate anti-bullying supports in place at primary school level under the professional development support for teachers programme; if he is satisfied that PDST has the resources to deal with bullying at primary level; if he will provide a breakdown of the numbers of personnel from the PDST that are specifically dedicated to anti-bullying at primary level; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18449/11]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 237 and 238 together.

Since September 2010 a total of 535 primary school teachers in 70 primary schools have received school-based support in the following areas:

Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE)

Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE)

Child Protection Guidelines

School policy planning including Code of Behaviour & Anti-Bullying Policy formation.

School-based support is given by PDST in response to schools' requests for support and may include support in relation to bullying depending on the needs identified. Usually the issue of anti-bullying is treated in a more in-depth manner in support for school policy planning including Code of Behaviour & Anti-Bullying Policy formation, although this depends of the circumstances of individual schools. It is worth noting that supports in these areas have been available to schools for a number of years prior to 2010.

In addition to this support, the Child Abuse Prevention Programme (CAPP) provided training in the Staysafe programme, which has an element related to anti-bullying, to almost 2,400 teachers in the last school year. Since 2007, CAPP have provided training to almost 20,000 teachers. PDST provides a wide range of continuing professional development supports to primary and post primary school teachers. The approach of the PDST is to work on a cross-sectoral basis and steps have been taken to achieve this aim, while also addressing the individual needs of each sector. Planning for the next school year is currently underway.

In relation to experience in anti-bullying, there are ten full time people on the PDST team who have particular expertise and training in the areas where anti-bullying content is likely to arise such as Social Personal and Health Education, Relationships and Sexuality Education, Child Protection and Policy Development including Code of Behaviour and Anti-Bullying.

It is acknowledged that the level of resources available to support services have been reduced in recent years in line with the changed economic situation. Accordingly, schools may experience some delay in accessing supports. Needs identified by schools are responded to as quickly as possible.

I consider these supports to be adequate, particularly given the overall range of priorities that the teacher support services aim to address on an ongoing basis.