Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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46. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the development of a new action plan on bullying for schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34983/22]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy may be aware, in February of this year I established a Steering Committee to review the 2013 Action Plan on Bullying. This Steering Committee is chaired externally by Dr. Noel Purdy of Stranmillis University College in Antrim. 

The Steering Committee consists of senior officials from the Department of Education, including the Inspectorate and the National Educational Psychological Service, representatives of the National Parents’ Council Primary, National Parents’ Council Post-Primary, Irish Second Level Students’ Union (ISSU), the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, the National Anti-bullying Research Centre in DCU and other external experts and representatives of advocacy organisations. These include BelongTo, Webwise, Parentline, National Traveller Women’s Forum, Women’s Aid, the Independent Living Movement Ireland and two anti-racism activists. The Steering Committee has held eight meetings to date. 

This review involves significant consultation and collaboration across my Department, with other Government Departments and Bodies including the Ombudsman for Children, and also involves consultation with a broad range of education stakeholders, including parents and students, school management bodies and teacher and school staff unions. 

The review is taking account of the significant developments and relevant research since the action plan was published in 2013. It is specifically considering cyber bullying, identity based bullying and sexual harassment, among other areas.

The review is giving detailed consideration to the recommendations contained in the Oireachtas Joint Committee Report on School Bullying and the Impact on Mental Health which was published last August.

A number of consultation strands have been conducted over the past few months including focus groups with children and young people, focus groups with school staff and members of the school community and a public consultation process.

The public consultation process, which has recently closed, provided an opportunity for individuals and organisations to send in both written submissions and to respond to an online survey. The public consultation provided an opportunity for all members of society to provide their views on how bullying is currently being prevented and tackled in schools, provide suggestions and feedback on the actions contained within the current action plan and to identify additional actions that are required. A total of over 60 written submissions and over 4,500 responses to the online survey were received which are now being considered by my Department.

Further consultation strands and engagement with various groups is currently ongoing. This work will help ensure that my Department can capture as many voices as possible to inform the development of an inclusive and comprehensive Action Plan on Bullying.

As the Deputy may be aware, a Working Group has been established to review and update the Anti-bullying procedures for Primary and Post Primary Schools in parallel with this work. The working group is comprised of representatives from each of the relevant management bodies and teacher and school staff unions, along with representatives from the National Parents’ Council Primary, National Parents’ Council Post-Primary, Irish Second Level Students’ Union (ISSU) and the National Anti-bullying Research Centre in DCU.