Dominic Hannigan (Meath East, Labour)
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Question 65: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if funding will be made available to groups running anti racist bullying programmes in schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24767/12]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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As the Deputy may be aware my Department funds the Social, Personal & Health Education (SPHE) support service at Post Primary level which includes modules on Anti-Bullying which addresses racist bullying. The SPHE Anti-Bullying Co-ordinator is available to give schools in depth advice and support on issues to do with bullying at their request and in addition runs training courses on positive strategies for managing bullying issues.

The SPHE Whole School Anti-Bullying Support programme addresses racist bullying in a number of ways including giving specific examples of racist bullying in SPHE lessons, identifying unacceptable racist behaviour at SPHE workshops and encouraging schools to include racism as an important topic when organising Friendship Weeks. At Primary level schools are advised that the Strands: 'My Friends and Other People' &'Myself and the Wider World' include objectives under which schools can include specific lessons on racism where children learn to be aware of and appreciate the diversity of cultures and people in addition to appreciating the diversity of people or groups within communities and the importance of mutual respect, empathy and understanding.

My Departments Guidelines on Countering Bullying in Primary and Post Primary Schools (1993) require all schools to have an anti bullying policy. It is the responsibility of school management to ensure that the guidelines are followed and if training is required, it is available from the relevant Support Service.

I am satisfied that the SPHE provides adequate support and training to teachers and schools in the area of anti racist bullying and I have no plans to make additional funding available to outside groups.