Fianna Fáil TD for Cavan-Monaghan & North Meath, Niamh Smyth, has welcomed news that the Minister for Education and party colleague, Norma Foley, today brought a memo to Cabinet on new measures being undertaken by her Department to tackle bullying in school.
Deputy Smyth, who has campaigned tirelessly on this issue, said, "My colleagues and I in Fianna Fáil recognise that there have been significant developments in research and international best practice relating to bullying since the last Action Plan on Bullying was published in 2013.
"I understand that the Department of Education will carry out a review of this plan in order to ensure that the new Action Plan on Bullying is in line with up-to-date research and is a comprehensive and holistic, national educational response."
Deputy Smyth recently wrote to the Minister for Education and the Minister for Justice to highlight the issue of bullying in our schools and called on both Ministers to prioritise the roll out of additional anti-bullying measures to ensure the safety and wellbeing of our young people.
"It is simply not acceptable that any young person in school should be subjected to, commit or witness bullying.
"It is important that young people are encouraged to speak about bullying and are made aware of where they can turn to if subjected to bullying or witness this, as well as the ramifications in place if they do engage in bullying themselves.
"As part of the review, I understand that detailed considerations are to be given to recommendations contained in the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Education, Further and Higher Education Report on School Bullying and the Impact on Mental Health published in August 2021 and I am particularly pleased to see that the review will specifically consider areas such as cyber bullying and gender identity bullying."