Máirín Quill
Question:53 Miss Quill asked the Minister for Education if she intends that the proposed relationship and sexuality education programme for schools will be made mandatory; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5119/95]
Written Answers. - Schools Sexuality Education Programme.
In the recent circulars on this issue — No. 2/95 to primary schools and No. M4/95 to post-primary schools — I have requested schools to begin the process of developing their policies at this time so that they may start to include programmes of relationships and sexuality education and the wider aspects of social, personal and health education in their curricula in the school year 1995-1996.
The circulars acknowledge the right and duty of parents to provide for the religious, moral, intellectual, physical and social education of their children. With this in mind, individual school policies will make provision for the rights of parents who hold conscientious or moral objections to the inclusion of programmes of relationships and sexuality education on the curriculum and will state how the school intends to address this situation.
While programmes of relationships and sexuality education are not mandatory, all schools must have a policy in this area, developed in collaboration between the partners — school management authorities, teachers, parents and, where appropriate, pupils. I should emphasise that what is involved is a process of development which should commence now and which will result in good quality programmes being delivered in schools in accordance with the wishes of parents, the ethos of individual schools and related to the needs of children and young people.
As regards the delivery of programmes, the teacher, in his or her professional capacity, ideally is the person who takes responsibility for delivery of the school-based element of the programme. However, in the unlikely event that all teachers in a school feel unwilling or unable, for any reason, to deliver elements of a programme of relationships and sexuality education, the school policy will have to state how the school intends to provide the programme.