Sorca Clarke (Longford-Westmeath, Sinn Fein)
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326. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide an update on the national action plan on bullying. [10679/24]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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An implementation plan for Cineáltas was published on 10 April 2023 and commits to implementing each of the 61 actions contained in Cineáltas within a 5 year period.

Work is well underway to implement many of these actions.

An Implementation and Evaluation Group has been established to oversee implementation of the actions and the publication of annual implementation and evaluation reports, informed by feedback from children and young people, parents, school staff, education partners, key stakeholders and relevant agencies. This group is chaired by the Secretary General of my Department, Bernie McNally.

The Student Participation Unit was established in March 2023 to promote the participation of children and young people into the development of my Department's policy.

A new inspection model has been developed under Cineáltas to assess whether a school has appropriate strategies in place to promote wellbeing, prevent and address bullying, and promote a positive and inclusive school culture. This new inspection model is being piloted in schools in 2024.

€5 million is being invested to pilot a programme of counselling supports for primary school students.

The Department is continuing its work with the Anti-Bullying Centre to roll out the FUSE anti-bullying programme to schools.

In advance of anti-bullying week in November 2023 all schools were given a Cineáltas flag. This flag will act as a symbol to remind the whole school community of the importance of kindness, respect, equality, and inclusion.

Work is ongoing to update the anti ­bullying procedures for primary and post ­primary schools. CPD to support all school staff, boards of management and parents in implementing the new procedures will be made available.

A new Junior Cycle SPHE/RSE specification was published in May 2023 and is scheduled to be implemented in post-primary schools in September 2024.

A post-graduate programme for SPHE/RSE post-primary teachers in DCU has commenced with the first intake of 34 teachers since Feb 2023. A second intake commenced in January 2024, with up to 70 places on the course.

The Report on the Review of the 2013 Action Plan on Bullying and the Development of the Action Plan on Bullying was published in December 2023.