Grace Boland (Dublin Fingal West, Fine Gael)
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1023. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the supports available in schools and through the education system to assist families who discover that a young person is in debt to a criminal organisation, including counselling, guidance, and links to external supports; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47120/25]

Grace Boland (Dublin Fingal West, Fine Gael)
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1024. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will outline any confidential reporting or safeguarding mechanisms in place within schools to support students and families affected by criminal gang debt and related intimidation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47121/25]

Grace Boland (Dublin Fingal West, Fine Gael)
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1025. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will detail any recent or planned school-based programmes or awareness campaigns aimed at preventing young people from becoming involved in criminal activity or accruing debt to criminal organisations; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47122/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 1023, 1024 and 1025 together.

While there is no single school-based awareness programme in this area, there are a number of related ways in which my Department aims to support students.

An Garda Síochána conduct programmes in both Primary and Post-Primary schools which include crime prevention. The Garda Primary Schools Programme, first launched in 1990, has been specifically designed to complement the Social Personal and Health Education (SPHE) curriculum. The desired objectives of the Programme include the following: increased accessibility of An Garda Síochána to children, teachers and the community; promote the positive wellbeing of children through crime prevention awareness; reduce the level of offending behaviour; and promote an understanding of the consequences of criminal behaviour among children. The Garda Post-Primary School Programme, which was first launched in 2006, centres on substance misuse, diversity and equality, impact of one’s behaviour on others, personal safety and internet safety. The Garda Schools Programme is currently under review at the Garda National Community Policing Unit.

Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE) supports students fostering their wellbeing, self-confidence and sense of belonging; develops students’ sense of personal responsibility for their own behaviour and actions; promotes their self-awareness and understanding by helping them manage their own feelings, to recognise and appreciate individual abilities, and to cope with changes of various kinds; and supports students to become active and responsible citizens. For example, the updated Senior Cycle SPHE curriculum includes among its learning outcomes that students should be able to ‘discuss and devise ways to safely manage social situations where their own or others’ health or safety may be at risk’, and to ‘summarise accurately their rights, responsibilities and protections before the law as a young adult with reference to online communicating, consent, alcohol and drug use, their work-place rights and right to access services’. The updated curriculum was published in September 2024. Post-Primary schools have until September 2027 to introduce the specification, to accommodate the necessary planning and preparatory work.

The area of wellbeing and the promotion of positive mental health is one to which the Department of Education and Youth affords particular priority. In this regard, the department is committed to responding to the challenges our young people face today and their need for education in the area of wellbeing and stress. A dedicated wellbeing portal has been developed and is now available, bringing together all the wellbeing supports and resources that have been developed by the department and the department’s support services, which are available to view here gov.ie - . Neart – the Irish word for strength, is the new national programme of mental health and wellbeing resources and training for post-primary schools. These comprehensive supports have been developed by Jigsaw in partnership with the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) and with the Department of Education and Youth. The programme will complement the supports already available in schools such as the provision of guidance counselling and the work of NEPS, as well as other existing wellbeing programmes and initiatives including Student Support Team training. The Neart webpage provides all the relevant information schools require about the programme of supports and what’s on offer throughout 2025.