Terence Flanagan (Dublin North East, Independent)
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153. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide funding to support the yellow flag programme (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16040/15]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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My Department's policy in this area is underpinned by the Action Plan on Bullying. Guidelines to assist schools in developing an Anti-Bullying Policy were issued to all schools in 2013. Schools may choose from a number of programmes available to them in order to deal with the particular issues they have identified and my Department does not endorse any one particular programme. Therefore, I do not think it would be appropriate to fund the Yellow Flag programme.

The approach adopted under the Action Plan is for schools to use the programme best suited to address the particular challenges they face. It does not favour addressing identity-based bullying on an issue-by-issue basis, but rather recommends respect for all.