Alan Farrell (Dublin Fingal, Fine Gael)
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106. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to provide an update on her Department’s efforts to tackle bullying in schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30493/24]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I launched Cineáltas: Action Plan on Bullying on 1st December 2022. Cineáltas is my Department’s whole-education approach to preventing and addressing bullying in schools.

Cineáltas is dedicated to the prevention and addressing of bullying, cyber bullying, racist bullying, gender identity bullying and sexual harassment, among other areas, in schools.

It is centred on a child right’s-based approach and provides a collective vision and clear roadmap for how the whole education community and society can work together to prevent and address bullying in our schools.

Cineáltas incorporates each of the nine components of UNESCO’s Whole Education Approach to prevent and address bullying. It is rooted in four key principles: prevention, support, oversight and community.

An Implementation Plan for Cineáltas was published on 10th April 2023 and commits to implementing each of the 61 actions contained in Cineáltas within a 5 year period.

An Implementation and Evaluation Group has been established to oversee implementation of the actions and the publication of annual implementation and evaluation reports, informed by feedback from children and young people, parents, school staff, education partners, key stakeholders and relevant agencies. This group is chaired by the Secretary General of my Department.

One of the more significant actions under Cineáltas was to update the 2013 Anti-Bullying Procedures for Primary and Post-Primary Schools. This action has been completed with the publication on 19th June 2024 of the Bí Cineálta: Procedures to Prevent and Address Bullying Behaviour for Primary and Post-Primary Schools.

The Bí Cineálta procedures are centred on a child rights-based approach and support a partnership approach where all members of the school community work together to prevent and address bullying behaviour.

The procedures have been updated to take account of gender identity bullying, cyberbullying, racist bullying, sexist bullying, and sexual harassment. They support schools to develop clear strategies to prevent and address these bullying behaviours.

The requirements of the procedures will come into effect from 1st September 2025. Implementation of these procedures will be supported by a suite of professional learning resources and information sessions for school staff, board of management members and parents.

Work is well underway to implement many of the actions contained in Cineáltas:

• €5 million is being invested to pilot a programme of counselling supports for primary school students. This will serve to support the very positive work which already takes place in the area of wellbeing in our schools
• The Student Participation Unit was established in April 2023 to promote the participation of children and young people into the development of Department policy. An expert group has been formed to advise the work of the new unit. This expert group is independently chaired by a renowned expert on participation of children and young people, Professor Laura Lundy
• A new inspection model has been developed under Cineáltas to assess whether a school has appropriate strategies in place to promote wellbeing, prevent and address bullying, and promote a positive and inclusive school culture. This new inspection model is being piloted in schools in 2024
• The Department is continuing its work with the Anti-Bullying Centre to roll out the FUSE anti-bullying programme to schools which is funded by the Department
• In advance of anti-bullying week in November 2023, all schools were given a Cineáltas flag. This flag acts as a symbol to remind the whole school community of the importance of kindness, respect, equality, and inclusion.
• A Cineáltas showcase and awards event will be held in Croke Park this September to celebrate the good work school communities are doing to prevent and address bullying behaviour and promote equality, inclusion, diversity and wellbeing.