Schools Anti-Bullying Procedures

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 29 May 2014

Thursday, 29 May 2014

Questions (24)

Seán Kyne

Question:

24. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to the lack of momentum, as reported in the education supplement of a national newspaper last week, in implementing the new anti-bullying policy in schools, a circular for which issued in September 2013 and which directed schools to implement a new policy, with corresponding procedures and practices, prior to the end of the second school term of the school year 2013-14; and the steps that will be taken to ensure the effective introduction of the very welcome new anti-bullying policy. [23350/14]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Education and Skills

When the new anti-bullying procedures for schools were published last September, it was acknowledged that schools would need time to develop an anti-bullying policy in line with the new procedures. Accordingly the accompanying circular allowed schools a period up to the Easter break of this year to make the necessary arrangements, including consultations with the school community, for developing and formally adopting an anti-bullying policy which fully complies with the requirements of the procedures.

My Department's Inspectorate will now, as part of its inspection of schools, be specifically examining schools compliance with the new anti-bullying procedures including the actions taken to create a positive school culture and to prevent and tackle bullying. While the newspaper article is a cause of concern, the work of the Department's Inspectorate in the school inspection process will give a better overview on how well the new procedures are being implemented at school level. This is an issue that parents and parent associations can also raise directly with their school.