Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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158. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the extent to which school bullying continues to be an issue; if he is satisfied regarding the adequacy of the provisions in place to combat the problem; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14656/18]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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The Action Plan on Bullying, which was published in January 2013, sets out my Department's approach to tackling bullying and promoting an anti-bullying culture in schools. It recommended actions that focus on support for schools, teacher training, research and awareness raising and aim to ensure that all forms of bullying are addressed. Implementation of the actions is ongoing and good progress has been made across all areas of the plan.

As part of the implementation of the Action Plan my Department published new anti-bullying procedures for all primary and post primary schools at the beginning of the 2013/14 school year.

The 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 include specific requirements in relation to the use of prevention and education strategies and the consistent investigation, follow up and recording of bullying behaviour.

The procedures for schools include important 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.

While there is no requirement on schools to report incidents of bullying behaviour to my Department, in the course of their whole school inspection work, my Department’s Inspectorate gathers information about how schools deal with bullying in a number of ways through:

- Review of relevant school documentation, including the school’s Code of Behaviour and Ant-Bullying policy;

- Meetings with parents and student representatives at which there is an opportunity for parents and students to raise issues where relevant and

- The inclusion of parent and student Questionnaires on items relating to bullying.

Students and parents are also asked to respond to questions about how the school deals with bullying and discipline in the school and whether or not the school provides a safe environment for children.

Where responses indicate that students and/or parent do not believe that bullying is dealt with effectively, Inspectors raise this issue with school management who have ultimate responsibility for Anti-Bullying policies and procedures.

The publication of the new procedures for schools represented the conclusion of just one of the twelve actions set out in the Action Plan on Bullying which was published in January 2013.  Other actions that have been progressed include:

- A new national anti-bullying website, www.tacklebullying.ie, was launched in November 2015. The website provides a single point of information and support for young people, parents and teachers affected by bullying.

- My Department supports anti-bullying initiatives aimed at young people such as, the Stand Up! Against Homophobic and Transphobic bullying campaign, organised by BeLonG To, the National Youth Service for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender young people in Ireland and the Europe-wide initiative, Safer Internet Day.  

- Since 2013 new resources to tackle cyberbullying  “UP2US”, “My Selfie and the wider world” and “Lockers” were  launched through the internet safety initiative, Web wise and an UP2US social media roadshow was run in collaboration with Beat 102-103.  

As outlined in the "Action Plan for Education 2016-2019”, my Department is committed to continuing implementation of the Anti-Bullying Action Plan through continued support for the development of anti-bullying training materials and awareness-raising initiatives.