Jerry Buttimer (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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504. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills her plans to review the national anti-bullying policy to combat an increase in cyber-bullying; the procedures in place to monitor the implementation of this policy; her views that such procedures are adequate; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27313/15]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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The Action Plan on Bullying, which was published in January 2013, sets out my Department's approach to tackling bullying in schools. These actions focus on support for schools, teacher training, research and awareness raising and aim to ensure that all forms of bullying, including cyberbullying, are addressed.

A study on "The Prevalence and Impact of Bullying Linked to Social Media on the Mental Health and Suicidal Behaviour among Young People", which was commissioned by my Department and the National Office for Suicide Prevention, was published in May 2014. The review notes that as cyberbullying appears to be closely tied to traditional bullying, it is likely that already established anti-bullying interventions will also impact on cyberbullying and that entirely new programmes are not necessary. Therefore, the implementation of the Plan will continue. A key element of its implementation is the anti-bullying procedures for all primary and post primary schools which were published at the beginning of the 2013/14 school year.

These procedures are designed to give direction and guidance to school authorities and school personnel in preventing and tackling school-based bullying behaviour amongst its pupils. They place a strong focus on education and prevention strategies to deal with bullying behaviour including, in particular, cyberbullying and identity based bullying such as homophobic and transphobic bullying. The procedures make clear that the focus of any prevention and education awareness measures in schools about cyber-bullying should be on educating pupils on how to stay safe while on-line and also on developing a culture of reporting any concerns about cyber-bullying. The procedures also recognise that parents and pupils have a role and responsibility in helping the school to prevent and address school-based bullying behaviour and to deal with any negative impact within school of bullying behaviour that occurs elsewhere.

A very important element of the new procedures to help ensure greater transparency for parents and pupils is the requirement for schools to publish their anti-bullying policy on the school's website and to provide it to the parents association. The procedures also include important new oversight arrangements that involve the School Principal reporting regularly to the Board of Management and a requirement for the Board to undertake an annual review of the school's anti- bullying policy and its implementation. Confirmation that the annual review has been completed must be provided to the parents association and published on the school website.

In addition, my Department's Inspectorate, as part of its inspection work, is placing a stronger focus on the actions schools take to create a positive school culture and to prevent and tackle bullying. For example, parent and student questionnaires issued as part of whole school evaluations, include, since January 2014, additional questions to get a clearer picture of how the school deals with bullying.