Carol Nolan (Laois-Offaly, Independent)
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307. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if parents of pre and post-primary school children retain the right to voluntarily withdraw their children from relationships and sexuality education classes in situations in which they believe the curriculum content is not appropriate or conflicts with their values; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [58303/21]

Carol Nolan (Laois-Offaly, Independent)
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308. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if there are provisions in international human rights declarations, covenants or treaties that obligate school-going children to attend relationships and sexuality education classes even in cases in which such attendance conflicts with the values or beliefs of the children’s parents; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [58304/21]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 307 and 308 together.

Access to sexual and health education is an important right for students. Social, Personal and Health Education is a mandatory curriculum subject in all primary schools and in post-primary Junior Cycle. RSE is required at all levels, from Primary through to Senior Cycle. The Department has set out the content for each of these programmes in SPHE syllabuses and guidelines.

The purpose of the primary level SPHE curriculum is to foster the personal development, health and well-being of the individual child, to help them to create and maintain supportive relationships and to enable children make safe and healthy decisions now and in the future.

All schools are required to have an RSE policy that is developed in consultation with the school community, including school management, parents, teachers and students as appropriate. The school’s programme for Relationship and Sexuality Education is developed and taught in the context of the school’s RSE policy. It is important to note that the ethos of the school should never preclude learners from acquiring the knowledge about the issues, but ethos may influence how that content is treated.

In accordance with Section 30 of the Education Act, 1998, parents have a right to have their children opt out of classes which are contrary to the conscience of the parent if they so wish. It is expected that this right be upheld by schools on foot of a parental request. The school must determine the particular arrangements which are most appropriate in its individual circumstances having regard to local issues such as available space, supervision requirements and how the school concerned organises classes etc.