Noel Rock (Dublin North West, Fine Gael)
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349. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will disallow the secondary school practice of bringing in outside unvetted and unaccountable third parties to give lectures on sexual education; if he will provide schools with a pre-vetted list of acceptable groups; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19977/17]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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Decisions in relation to visitors to schools are taken at a school level.  Circular 0023/2010 of the Department of Education and Skills sets out the criteria which must apply if schools wish to enhance or supplement Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE) by inviting visitors to the classroom.  

The relevant rules are summarised as follows:

- Visitors to the classroom or school, particularly those engaging directly with students, should be aware of relevant school policies including the school's child protection policy and RSE policy. Any such visit must be carefully planned in advance in line with the relevant whole-school RSE programme and policies.

- Talks/programmes delivered by outside agencies or speakers must be consistent with and complementary to the school's ethos and RSE programme. Visits should be planned, researched and implemented in partnership with school personnel.

- Relevant teachers need to liaise with and be involved with all visitors and external agencies working with the school and the whole staff needs to be made aware of same.

- It is strongly recommended that parents should be consulted and made aware of any such visiting people or agencies to classrooms / schools.

- The school's RSE coordinator may also help in the process of whole-school planning and coordination to support the effective implementation of RSE.

- It is of the utmost importance that classroom teachers remain in the classroom with the students and retain a central role in delivery of the core subject matter of the RSE programme. The presence of the classroom teacher should ensure that the school follows appropriate procedures for dealing with any issue(s) that may arise as a result of the external input(s).

- All programmes and events delivered by visitors and external agencies must use appropriate, evidence-based methodologies with clear educational outcomes. Such programmes are best delivered by those specifically qualified to work with the young people for whom the programmes are designed.

- All programmes, talks, interventions and events should be evaluated by students and teachers in terms of the subject matter, messages, structure, methodology and proposed learning outcomes.

A review of the advice provided in this Circular, and in Circular 0022/2010 is provided in the Action Plan for Education 2017 (Action 1.3).  The purpose is to provide stronger more comprehensive guidance for schools on the effective use of external programmes.

In addition to the detailed criteria given to schools about inviting visitors to the RSE classroom, my Department has also highlighted to schools that research findings indicate that the following teaching approaches have limited effect and are counterproductive to the effective implementation of RSE. Schools are advised to avoid the following approaches: scare tactics; sensationalist interventions; testimonials; information only interventions; information that is not age appropriate; once off/short term interventions; normalising young people's risky behaviour; and a didactic approach.