Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú)
Link to this: Individually | In context

858. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the steps are being taken by her Department to protect children from being exposed to harmful or confusing concepts about gender identity by a programme (details supplied). [45905/25]

Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú)
Link to this: Individually | In context

859. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will list the experts consulted within the formation of a programme (details supplied), specifically in relation to the issue of gender identity. [45906/25]

Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú)
Link to this: Individually | In context

860. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the reason Ireland is proceeding with policies around gender identity in schools when countries such as Britain, France, Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Finland have paused gender-affirming treatments for minors; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45907/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I propose to take Questions Nos. 858, 859 and 860 together.

Cineáltas: Action Plan on Bullying was published on 1st December 2022. Cineáltas is my department’s whole-education approach to preventing and addressing bullying behaviour in schools.

Cineáltas is dedicated to the prevention and addressing of bullying behaviour including cyber bullying, racist bullying, gender identity bullying and sexual harassment, among other areas, in schools. It is centred on a child rights-based approach and provides a collective vision and clear roadmap for how the whole education community and society can work together to prevent and address bullying behaviour in our schools.

Cineáltas incorporates each of the nine components of UNESCO’s Whole Education Approach to prevent and address bullying behaviour. It is rooted in four key principles: prevention, support, oversight and community. Implementation of Cineáltas is well advanced. The first annual implementation report was published on 02 July 2025.

One of the more significant actions under Cineáltas is to update the 2013 Anti-Bullying Procedures for Primary and Post-Primary Schools. This action has been completed with the publication, on 19 June 2024, of Bí Cineálta: Procedures to Prevent and Address Bullying Behaviour for Primary and Post-Primary Schools. These updated procedures were developed in collaboration with the education partners, including the National Parents Council, and are heavily informed by the views of children and young people, parents, school staff, Board of Management members and the wider education community.

An extensive consultation process was carried out to inform the development of Cineáltas and the Bí Cineálta procedures. Over 4,600 responses were received from the public consultation in addition to 78 submissions received from the request for submissions. 170 children and young people from diverse backgrounds were also consulted. A number of organisations and individuals presented to the Cineáltas Steering Committee. Further details of the consultation process and the consultation reports can be found at:

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 must be implemented in schools by the beginning of the 2025/2026 school year.

Implementation of the procedures is supported by a suite of professional learning resources and information sessions for school staff, Board of Management members and parents. Information seminars on the updated procedures were held throughout October 2024 which were open to school leaders from every school. From November 2024, Oide offered in-person professional learning to two staff members from every school in the country.

All schools could avail of a half-day closure in the 2024/2025 school year in order to engage with all school staff on the requirements of the updated anti-bullying procedures. Additionally, management bodies have updated their training for Boards of Management and the National Parents Council has updated their training for parents.

The Bí Cineálta procedures include a template for schools to use for their Bí Cineálta policy. This template includes common text that all schools must use in their policy. Schools must outline the preventative strategies that they will use and the steps that will be taken to address incidents of bullying behaviour if and when they occur. Every school can decide, as a school community, on what strategies and actions they deem appropriate to adopt in its Bí Cineálta policy.

In relation to Wellbeing at primary level, the redeveloped Wellbeing Curriculum, which includes the subjects of PE and SPHE will be published in the coming weeks. Alignment with the Bi Cineálta procedures was a key consideration throughout the development process.

The curriculum aims to provide all children with a balanced, inclusive, age and developmentally appropriate understanding of human development and sexuality. This includes fostering healthy attitudes and relationships while recognising the diversity of human experience.

New areas of learning include consent, diversity in family structures, media and digital wellbeing, as well as a renewed emphasis on emotional and relational learning.

It is recognised that the development of children’s wellbeing goes beyond any specific curriculum area and is also shaped by a variety of other influences within the broader community and society.

At post-primary level, the Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE) curriculum strives to foster an understanding and appreciation of all children and young people. Through the curriculum objectives, our children and young people are supported to develop self-confidence and a positive sense of self, and to appreciate and respect the human and cultural diversity that exists in society. To this end, the curriculum aims to foster in learners a sense of care and respect for themselves and others and an appreciation of the dignity of every human being.

The updated Junior Cycle SPHE curriculum, which was rolled out for first years in all schools from September 2023, includes three learning objectives that focus on gender. Through these learning outcomes, 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.
• Reflect on gender equity and how gender stereotypes impact on expectations, behaviour and relationships.
• Appreciate the breadth of what constitutes human sexuality, and how sexual orientation and gender identity are experienced and expressed in many ways.