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Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 7 Feb 1995

Vol. 448 No. 6

Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers. - Relationships and Sexuality Education.

Micheál Martin

Ceist:

11 Mr. Martin asked the Minister for Education if the September deadline for commencement of the relationships and sexuality programme for first and second level schools will be met in view of concerns expressed about planning and preparation of the programme and the level of consultation which took place. [2732/95]

My announcement in regard to the provision of relationships and sexuality education followed an extensive report on the matter by an expert advisory group, set up by me in April 1994 to advise on how relationships and sexuality education might be introduced into schools. The group, established by me following the announcement in 1994, sought and received over 50 submissions from interested bodies and individuals, which were taken into account in the group's work.

The report of the expert advisory group was referred to the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment for its views. The NCCA is representative of all the partners in education. The NCCA considered the report between June and December 1994. Following consideration of the report and of the response of the NCCA, my Department has issued the report, and Circular number 2/95 (primary schools) and M4/95 (post-primary schools), to all schools.

I am satisfied that there is broad agreement in Irish society on the need for a programme of relationships and sexuality education in the formal education system. Support for such a programme has been articulated by Church bodies, educational groups, teacher unions and national parents' representative bodies.

I should also point out that many schools are already making good provision for relationships and sexuality education and for the wider aspects of social personal and health education, and many teachers are experienced in teaching these programmes.

I am now requesting schools to begin the process of developing their policies so that they may include relationships and sexuality education and wider aspects of social, personal and health education in their curricula in the school year 1995-96. I have asked the NCCA to prepare curriculum guidelines and teaching-learning strategies which will assist schools in this work by Easter 1995. My Department will continue to provide leadership, support and guidance by outlining the overall direction of relationships and sexuality education and by facilitating and supporting the involvement of the partners in education in planning for implementation.

I have no doubt that, with the co-operation of school authorities, teachers and parents, all children and young people will have access to good-quality programmes in relationships and sexuality education.

Would it not have been preferable if the Minister had sent out the draft circulars and guidelines to the school principals, parents and the various boards of management at the same time she made the public announcement on this important programme? Would it not have been preferable also for the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment to have completed its work in this regard in advance of the public announcement — in other words that the schools would have the programme and would then be in a position to develop a policy on the provision of such a programme particularly as the boards of management would have preferred to be in a position to advise parents on the provisions of such a programme at the time of enrolment of first year students.

I must dissuade the Deputy from engaging in over long questioning or tending towards a debate.

Given the points I made will the Minister accept that the fact that the circulars and the draft guidelines have not reached the primary or secondary schools has given rise to considerable annoyance and confusion on what is a very important programme?

I made the announcement, arrangements were put in place to circulate the two circulars mentioned and I am not aware that there has been an inordinate delay. The announcement was made at the beginning of last week.

The Deputy made suggestions on the development of the programme, guidelines and the manner of advising parents about it but this has been in the public domain for nearly 12 months. The subject matter of the programme which it is proposed to implement was considered by other administrations and has been the subject of debate for ten years. Despite support from church bodies, parents and teachers' unions we are only now in a position to involve all concerned in the guidelines devised by the advisory group and to put the sexuality and relationships programme on the timetable for September 1995. I am apprehensive that repeated attempts to slow down the process in which the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment, a large body representative of every interest in education, has been involved both on a consultative basis and in the preparation of material, will result in the good practice and good experience available in a number of schools not being made available to the wider body of school children. For their sake, I am concerned that it would be made available.

I am not conscious of anyone asking the Minister to slow down implementation of the programme, rather I am conveying to her the fact that many school principals have voiced their concern that they did not receive the circular for up to ten days after the public announcement. Surely the Minister would accept that the successful implementation of such an important programme depends primarily on the teaching staff, parents and their involvement in schools. There is genuine concern and confusion. Is it the intention to make the programme mandatory in all schools? Will it be implemented by way of ministerial directive or will there be flexibility for local boards of management to devise programmes and implement them?

The Department of Education sees itself in a leadership role. I am asking all concerned to spend this term and next term in consultation at school level and to examine guidelines and programmes. The normal way for the Department to express its wishes to schools is through issuing circulars. The Department has issued a circular to all schools stating that it wishes the subject of sexuality and relationships to be included in the school timetable. At second level we will recognise the teaching hours for salary purposes in order to ensure that the subject is timetabled. I accept that some schools did not receive the circular for ten days after the announcement——

The vast majority of them.

The circular asked schools to carry out the wishes of the Department. The first stage in that is the appointment of someone within the school to co-ordinate the discussion and consultation process. It is our intention that it will be dealt with in all schools. I hope the Deputy read the guidelines. It is evident from the circular, guidelines and expert report issued by the Department that schools are doing this mindful of the ethos of their own school. We were able to record practically a universal welcome for the programme among the partners in education.

Would the Minister agree——

We are dealing with Priority Questions and the Chair can only call the Member who tabled the question. Question No. 11 has taken up more than half of the time available for Priority Questions. Let us try to be fair, equitable and just in these matters. The Chair strives to be so.

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