Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the extent to which he continues to be made aware of incidents of all forms of school bullying including bullying of a physical, psychological and or electronic nature at primary and or second level schools throughout the country; if he favours any particular initiatives or strategies to identify and confront such incidents at an early stage; if studies have been done of such incidents which might illustrate particular issues arising and needing attention with a view to ensuring that children or students have access to supportive and preventative structures and facilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42999/12]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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I am fully aware of the seriousness of the issue of bullying and it was for that reason that an Anti-Bullying Forum was held in May this year.

As a follow on to that Forum, I invited the stakeholders and any other interested parties to submit their views on this important topic to my Department by 29th June 2012. As part of this consultation, interested parties were requested to indicate their views and proposals on any changes to existing practices and policies in schools that could improve how bullying can be tackled in schools.

As I have already outlined to the House, I have also recently established a working group to address the issue of tackling bullying in schools. During the course of its work, the working group will be considering the outcomes from the recent Anti-Bullying Forum and the views received from interested parties in the subsequent consultation process.