Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 12 February 2026
348. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether her Department, or any agency or body under its aegis, has worked with, supported, promoted, facilitated, or otherwise engaged with schools in relation to participation in a programme (details supplied); whether schools have been encouraged or assisted to participate in this programme through her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11214/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraCineáltas: Action Plan on Bullying was published on 1st December 2022. Cineáltas is my department’s whole-education approach to preventing and addressing bullying behaviour in schools.
Cineáltas is dedicated to the prevention and addressing of bullying behaviour including cyber bullying, racist bullying, gender identity bullying and sexual harassment, among other areas, in schools. It is centred on a child rights-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 behaviour in our schools.
Cineáltas incorporates each of the nine components of UNESCO’s Whole Education Approach to prevent and address bullying behaviour. It is rooted in four key principles: prevention, support, oversight and community.
My department has provided funding towards the annual Belong To Stand Up Awareness Campaign since 2013.
The objective of the campaign is to prevent and tackle homophobic and transphobic bullying in schools, increase respect for diversity and LGBT identities and thereby reduce the potential for mental health difficulties among LGBT students.
This is in fulfilment of the commitment made in the 2013 Action Plan on Bullying to support Stand Up Awareness Week, and the continued commitment in Cineáltas to support Stand Up Awareness Week.
While my department does not fund the Quality Mark programme, a school could decide to fund this programme from their own resources.
It is a matter for the management of each school to decide on the appropriateness of programmes and pilot projects and seeking external facilitators in promoting wellbeing.
My department advises schools to refer to Circulars 0042/2018 and 0043/2018 if considering collaboration with external agencies.
