Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 20 January 2026
529. Deputy Noel McCarthy asked the Minister for Education and Youth her Department’s plans to include discussions on the identification of abusive relationships and coercive control as part of the Junior Cycle SPHE programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3722/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThere has been ongoing engagement between my Department of Education and the Department of Justice in respect of Zero Tolerance, the Third National Strategy for Domestic, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (DSGBV).
My Department is represented on the Third National DSGBV Strategy Advisory Group as well as the National Awareness Campaigns Advisory Group.
The Department of Education and Youth has responsibility for a number of actions within the prevention pillar of Zero Tolerance, under an overall heading of enhancing the understanding of children and young people about gender inequalities and equality, consent and healthy relationships.
My Department is committed to inclusive education for all. It is fully committed to creating safe and supportive environments in schools that are welcoming and inclusive for every student. The area of wellbeing and the promotion of positive mental health is a priority for the Department. This includes promoting emotional wellbeing and resilience and positive coping skills, which support children and young people to manage the complexities of modern life.
Across both primary and post-primary schools, the SPHE curriculum supports pupils’ learning in the areas of inclusion and diversity. In the context of social, economic, cultural, ethnic, and religious diversity, it seeks to foster in the learner attitudes and behaviours that are characterised by understanding, empathy, and mutual respect. It addresses, too, the issues of equity and human rights, and fosters in the child the realisation that rights have associated responsibilities. Concepts of empathy, respect and inclusiveness are nurtured through the learning experiences offered and through the attitudes and practices inherent in the organisational structures of the classroom and the school.
Following an extensive period of consultation, an updated SPHE curriculum for Junior Cycle was introduced into schools in September 2023.
The learning outcomes of the ‘Relationships and sexuality’ strand include that students should be able to ‘reflect on the values, behaviours and skills that help to make, sustain and end relationships respectfully with friends, family and romantic/intimate relationships’, to ‘identify signs of healthy, unhealthy and abusive relationships’, to ‘appreciate the importance of setting healthy boundaries in relationships and consider how to show respect for the boundaries of others’, and to ‘appreciate the importance of seeking, giving and receiving consent in sexual relationships, from the perspective of building caring relationships and from a legal perspective’.
The learning outcomes of the ‘Emotional wellbeing’ strand include that students should be able to ‘recognise different kinds of abusive and bullying behaviour that can occur in interactions online and in person’, to ‘explain why noticing and responding to different kinds of abusive or bullying behaviour that can occur in person and online is important and discuss appropriate responses including, why, how, where and when to report’, and to ‘identify actions young people can take, without putting themselves at risk, in situations where they are aware of incidents of abusive behaviour or bullying happening and explore the barriers to standing up’.
Finally, the learning outcomes of the ‘Understanding Myself and Others’ strand include that students should be able to ‘reflect on gender equity and how gender stereotypes impact on expectations, behaviour and relationships’ and to ‘communicate in a respectful and effective manner and listen openly and sensitively to the views/feelings of others’.
An updated Senior Cycle SPHE specification was approved last September. Schools have until 2027 to introduce this new specification in order to allow for necessary preparatory work.
The ‘Relationships and sexuality’ strand includes a section on ‘abusive and violent relationships, stating among its learning outcomes that students should be able to ‘identify and consider common signs of abusive relationships, including coercive control’, to ‘explain the root causes and consequences of gender-based violence (GBV), with a particular focus on violence against women and girls, and outline the supports available’, to ‘ investigate the influence of pornography on attitudes, behaviours and relationship expectations’, and to ‘ discuss image-based abuse, sexual harassment, sexual assault and rape and what to do if they or someone they know has experienced any of these’.
