I am satisfied that significant progress has been made regarding the implementation of relationships and sexuality education in schools.
As I indicated recently in reply to a similar question, April 1999 is the latest date for which figures are available regarding levels of implementation of relationship and sexuality education – RSE – in primary and post-primary schools. Based on a 66% response rate from primary schools and 64% from post-primary schools the data, collected in late 1998, indicated that 24% of respondent primary schools were already implementing an RSE programme and 57% indicated an intention to teach RSE in some or all classes during the 1998/1999 school year. A total of 67% of respondent post-primary schools are already implementing RSE in some or all classes and 78% indicated their intention to teach RSE in some or all classes during the school year. The results of a follow-up survey are currently being finalised and I expect the results to be available shortly.