Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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216. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide an update on the implementation of the action plan on bullying for schools; the actions that have been taken to progress the implementation of the following recommendations contained within the plan; new national anti-bullying policy for schools, review of teacher education support service provision, co-ordinated training and resource development for Boards of Management and parents and a new national anti-bullying website; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1006/14]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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My colleague, the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, and I published the Action Plan on Bullying on 29 January 2013. Since then, good progress has been made on implementing actions designed to help prevent and tackle bullying in primary and second level schools. New National Procedures on Anti Bullying were launched last September. These are currently being adopted and implemented by all 4,000 primary and post primary schools in the country.

I have also made available funding for anti-bullying training for parents. Training sessions for parents, which are run jointly by the National Parents Council (primary and post primary), began last October and continue to be rolled out throughout the country.

Arising from the review of teacher education support service provision, a phased programme of continuing professional development (CPD) has been developed to support schools in relation to the Action Plan and the Anti-Bullying Procedures. The initial focus of this programme is to ensure access for schools to appropriate resources and support to meet the requirements of the new procedures and is scheduled to commence in February 2014. This support will be provided through the support service and education centre network this year.

As in 2013, my Department will support Safer Internet Day 2014, which will be celebrated in Ireland on Tuesday 11 February 2014. This will be promoted through the Professional Development Service for Teachers (PDST) and Webwise.ie and will include a social marketing campaign specifically targeted at young people, to address internet safety issues, including cyberbullying.

My Department supported the Stand Up! Awareness Week Against Homophobic & Transphobic Bullying in second level schools which took place in March 2013 and will again support this initiative in 2014.

Two pieces of research suggested in the Plan have also been undertaken and will be completed in the coming months. One piece of research concerns bullying issues for children with special needs, the other is in relation to social media and mental health.

Planning for the implementation of the other actions identified in the Plan including the development of the national anti-bullying website and training for the boards of management is in train.