asked the Minister for Health (1) if he will make available a copy of the report prepared by or for the Health Education Bureau concerning a new proposed health education curriculum; (2) if he will give a list of those persons serving on a consultative steering committee of specialists appointed by the Health Education Bureau to assist in the development of the new health education curriculum including a curriculum vitae on each person so serving; (3) if he will give a list of names of those persons invited to attend the private meeting held at the Newpark Hotel, Kilkenny, during the week of January 20 which was organised by the Health Education Bureau; the rationale for inviting each particular invitee; and any organisational affiliation of the person which might be related to his/her desirability to serve the Health Education Bureau in this matter; (4) if he will give details of the Health Education Bureau's budget for development of the curriculum, including the allocation for expenses and/or honoraria for members of the steering committee or other professional consultants; (5) if he will make available a copy of the minutes of proceedings of the Newpark Hotel meeting and a copy of the legislative authorisation for the Health Departments activities which were the subject of the Newpark Hotel meeting, and indicate by what mechanism the Dáil has authorised the Ministry to make plans to implement a new curriculum, which, to use a broadly understood term, includes “sex education”.
Written Answers. - Health Education Bureau.
Under the terms of the Statutory Order (S.I. No. 22 1975) establishing the Health Education Bureau, the bureau has a legal responsibility to advise the Minister for Health on the aspects of health education which should have priority at national level, to draw up programmes of health education for promotion at national and local level and to help statutory and voluntary bodies carry out their local programmes of health education.
In 1984, the bureau established a committee to advise it on relationships education as part of a health education programme for post primary schools. No report has yet been prepared by this committee. It is entirely a matter for the bureau itself to decide on the composition of any advisory group it might bring together to assist it in devising programmes of health education. I have no ministerial powers of direction in regard to such detailed aspects of the normal working of the bureau, nor do I think it appropriate that I should have.