Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 4 July 2013
115. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the extent to which his Department continues to be made aware of and monitor incidents of various forms of bullying affecting children or teenagers, if adequate mechanisms are in place to meet any such requirements; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32832/13]
View answerThe information requested by the Deputy is not available in my Department as individual school management authorities are not required to report incidents of bullying to my Department. As the Deputy is probably aware, on 29th of January last, Minister Fitzgerald and I published the Action Plan on Bullying which sets out twelve actions to help prevent and tackle bullying in primary and second level schools. As part of the Action Plan, new anti-bullying procedures for all primary and second level schools are currently in development in consultation with the education partners. These new procedures will include a specific reference to cyber bullying and to requirements for noting and reporting bullying incidents. These will be issued to all schools at the beginning of the next school year.
