Mattie McGrath questions activist links to sex education policy
Mattie McGrath asked whether activist Peter Tatchell or his associated organisations had any engagement with the Parliament of Education or the Minister for Children on sex education policy for national schools. He described Tatchell's commentary as extremely disturbing and sought confirmation that no engagement took place.
Parliamentary question
McGrath pressed for a clear answer on whether Mr Tatchell, the Peter Tatchell Foundation or other associated organisations had been involved with the Parliament of Education in Ireland or had engaged with the Minister for Children or with policy on sex education for national schools.
Response from the Taoiseach
The Taoiseach said he did not believe there had been such engagement and added he did not know the man. He criticised attacks on the Minister for Children as "completely outrageous and ... unacceptable" and warned against online hate campaigns and "online vile hatred" directed at public officials.
Curriculum development and safeguards
The Taoiseach outlined that relationships and sexuality education development involves input from bodies such as the National Curriculum Assessment Council and experts including psychologists. He said programmes are age appropriate, different at different levels, and that a lot of considered work goes into modernising sexuality and relationship education with a focus on self-esteem and self-respect.
Debate and social media
The Taoiseach argued that social media is the last place for deliberation on such matters and stressed the need to keep sexuality and relationship education in perspective amid public debate.
We publish thousands of recordings to make Irish politics transparent and resistant to manipulation. Spotted an error? Report it — together we are building a reliable archive of Irish politics.
Teachta, given the extremely disturbing nature of the commentary of the activist Peter Tatchell presenting sex education with children in a positive light, can you confirm to me that Mr Tatchell or his organisation, or indeed the Peter Tatchell Foundation and the other association that he's associated with, didn't have any engagement with the Parliament of Education here in Ireland, or won't have any engagement, but more importantly didn't have any engagement with the Minister of Children and with the policy around sex education for our children in our national schools. This is very disturbing, his commentary is, and I want to know, did he, Mr Tatchell, or any of the organisations that he's involved with, and there are numerous, patron of some, and has he had any engagement, and if so, what is the nature of that engagement? Taoiseach. Well, two points there. I don't believe so, but I don't know the man at all. I think the attacks on the Minister for Children were completely outrageous and are unacceptable, and it's the kind of online hate campaigns that we should really be very strongly against, and I think we have a good centre ground in this country that really resents the online vile hatred that's directed against people in an unjustified way, but that's not what you're saying, I accept what I mean, but no, okay, and third point, my own experience in terms of development of relationships and sexuality, education, it's developed, first of all, the National Curriculum Assessment Council would have an input, expertise, psychologists, psychologists, it's a much more rounded formulation and development for children, obviously age appropriate, different programmes at different levels, but a lot of work goes into that, and it's considered work, and I think it's important work, and it needs to be modernised, and self-esteem and self-respect, and people have misguided views as to what sex education is about, and sexuality and relationship education is about, and I think we need to keep it, in my view, in perspective, and to be frank, the last place for it to be deliberated upon is on social media, I would have thought... Thank you, Taoiseach. Time is up.
Thank you for downloading 🙏
If you publish this material on social media, we would be very grateful if you tagged VideoParliament. It helps us reach more people and keep building a transparent archive of Irish politics.
