Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

178. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the reason for her views that gender transitions "have to be medically led", as mentioned in an article (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37562/24]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Department is committed to creating an inclusive and positive environment for all students and staff, including LGBT students and staff.

My Department has also participated in the national LGBTI+ Youth Strategy 2018-2021 and the national LGBTI+ Inclusion Strategy 2019-2021. It is currently participating in work led by the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth in the development of the successor to the National LGBTI+ Inclusion Strategy.

Our work in this regard is underpinned by a range of measures.

For example,, my Department has provided funding to Belong To to support the Stand Up Awareness Week

The aim of doing so is to prevent and tackle homophobic, biphobic and transphobic bullying in schools, to raise awareness of LGBT students among other students, teachers and principals, to increase respect for LGBT identities and to increase the likelihood that LGBT students will report bullying and thereby reduce bullying and mental health difficulties among LGBT students.

In December 2022, the Department launched Cineáltas: Action Plan on Bullying, the successor to the 2013 Action Plan. Amongst the 61 actions contained within Cineáltas is a commitment to continue to provide funding to support the Stand Up Awareness Campaign .

A significant action under Cineáltas was to update the 2013 Anti-Bullying Procedures for Primary and Post-Primary Schools. This action has been completed with the publication in June of this year of Bí Cineálta: Procedures to Prevent and Address Bullying Behaviour for Primary and Post-Primary Schools. The Bí Cineálta procedures are centred on a child rights-based approach and support a partnership approach where all members of the school community work together to prevent and address bullying behaviour. The procedures have been updated to take account of gender identity bullying, cyberbullying, racist bullying, sexist bullying, and sexual harassment. They support schools to develop clear strategies to prevent and address these bullying behaviours. The Bí Cineálta procedures are to be implemented by schools at the start of the 2025/2026 school year.

Also under Cineáltas, my Department has commissioned a review and update of the Being LGBT In School resource. The work is being carried out by Maynooth University. The updated resource will be published on completion of the work.

In SPHE, curriculum supports pupils’ learning in the areas of inclusion and diversity. In the context of social, economic, cultural, ethnic, and religious diversity, it seeks to foster in the learner attitudes and behaviours that are characterised by understanding, empathy, and mutual respect One of the aims of the SPHE curriculum is to enable the learner to respect human and cultural diversity and to appreciate and understand the interdependent nature of the world.

The updated Junior Cycle SPHE, which was introduced to schools in September 2023, includes four strands: Understanding Myself and Others, Making Healthy Choices, Relationships and Sexuality, and Emotional Wellbeing. Among the learning outcomes of the Relationships and Sexuality strand is that students should be able to “appreciate the breadth of what constitutes human sexuality, and how sexual orientation and gender identity are experienced and expressed in many ways”. Other learning outcomes are that students should be able to “recognise the factors and influences that shape young people’s self-identity, such as family, peers, culture, gender identity, sexual orientation, race/ethnic background, dis/abilities, religious beliefs/world-views”, and to “discuss experiences/situations of bias, inequality or exclusion and devise ways to actively create more inclusive environments”.

Following significant public consultation, I recently approved the NCCA’s newly developed Senior Cycle SPHE specification. The updated SPHE specification is designed as a mandatory component to support 60 hours of teaching and learning over two years, reflecting the importance of SPHE for young people at this stage in their post-primary education. Schools have until September 2027 to introduce the specification for students entering fifth year, to allow for the necessary training and capacity building within the system. There are three strands within this specification, Health and Wellbeing, Relationships and Sexuality and Into Adulthood. Learning outcomes include that students should be able to “examine how both positive and harmful attitudes around gender are perpetuated in the media, online, and in society and discuss strategies for challenging and changing harmful attitudes and narratives”. In regard to the Relationships and Sexuality strand, the specification notes that each of the learning outcomes below should be taught in a way that LGBTQ+ identities, relationships and families are fully integrated and reflected in teaching and learning, as opposed to being addressed within stand-alone lessons.

In respect of the issuing of gender recognition certificates, this is a matter for the Department of Social Protection.