Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú)
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104. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the research she or her Department have undertaken into the impact on primary school children as young as nine or ten years of age of teaching them about what it means to be transgender [13572/23]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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The current primary Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE) curriculum dates from 1999. It does not make specific reference to transgender or LGBT identities. It does value diversity, it is founded on principles of inclusion and it promotes the use of inclusive and respectful language. Teaching of SPHE and Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE) is an important aspect of the curriculum for all students. In that context, many sensitive issues may arise and the aim is to address them in a way that is inclusive and that is age and stage appropriate. 

The Programme for Government commits to the development of inclusive and age appropriate curricula for RSE and SPHE across primary and post-primary schools, including an inclusive programme on LGBTI+ relationships. Work to implement this commitment is ongoing, building on a major review of RSE in schools, completed in 2019 by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA). Following the publication of the Primary Curriculum Framework, which will be the foundation for all curriculum specifications, on 9 March, the NCCA commenced work on the curricular area of Wellbeing in primary schools, which includes SPHE and RSE.

The development process for the new specification will include research and consultation.