Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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492. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the work currently being undertaken to update the Action Plan on Bullying and the related Anti-Bullying Procedures for primary and post- primary schools which have not been updated since 2013; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52337/21]

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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493. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the establishment of a national system for the reporting of data on individual bullying cases and their causes; the steps taken to address them and the outcomes of these interventions that are currently being collected by schools and reported to their boards of management; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52338/21]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 492 and 493 together.

As the Deputy is aware, I attended the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Education, Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science recently to provide an update on a number of issues including the measures that are being taken to prevent and tackle bullying in schools.

During my appearance at the Joint Committee, I announced that my Department will commence a review of my Department’s 2013 Action Plan on Bullying and the 2013 Anti-bullying Procedures for Primary and Post-primary Schools.

This review will take account of developments and relevant research since the action plan and procedures were published in 2013 and will specifically consider areas such as cyber bullying and gender identity bullying. The review will also give detailed consideration to the recommendations contained in the Oireachtas Joint Committee Report on School Bullying and the Impact on Mental Health, including the recommendation relating to the establishment of a National System for the compilation of data on incidences of Bullying in Primary and Post-Primary Schools.

As the Deputy may be aware, the current Anti-Bullying Procedures for Primary and Post-Primary Schools provide that the school principal reports regularly to the board of management in relation to the overall numbers of bullying cases and provides confirmation that they are being dealt with in accordance with the anti-bullying procedures.

This review of the Action Plan on Bullying and the Anti-bullying Procedures for Primary and Post-primary Schools will involve significant consultation and collaboration across my Department, with other Government Departments and Bodies including the Ombudsman for Children, and will also involve consultation with a broad range of education stakeholders, including parents and students.

I also announced that during this school year, my Department’s Inspectorate is prioritising monitoring and gathering information about the implementation of anti-bullying measures in schools across all its inspection types.

As part of this work, the Inspectorate will also identify and report on examples of effective practice in relation to preventing and tacking bullying in schools. This will help provide evidence of the type of bullying that is occurring in our schools and examples of approaches that can be successful in dealing with it. An important part of the Inspectorate’s work will be a focus on the priority actions of schools in relation to promoting a positive school culture and climate.