Tag Archives: bullying

Education Committee to consider whole school approaches to mental health and bullying

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The Joint Committee on Education and Social Protection, on which Mary Mitchell O’Connor is a member, will tomorrow consider how best to bolster whole school approaches to mental health and bullying. Officials from the Department of Education and Skills and the Children’s Mental Health Coalition will present to the Committee.

Committee Vice-Chair Aodhán Ó Riordáin TD says: “Tomorrow we will explore how to embed effective whole school approaches to ensure development of positive mental health among all school goers. Department officials are expected to update the Committee on the wide range of work currently being undertaken to tackle and prevent bullying in Irish schools. The Children’s Mental Health Coalition, which is chaired by Colm O’Gorman of Amnesty International Ireland, comprises 45 organisations and is working to ensure that every child’s right to mental health is realised. The Committee look forward to hearing from both perspectives on the work being done in Irish schools to foster a supportive and caring school environment in an integrated way.”

Separately, the Committee will meet with representatives from Arthritis Ireland who will discuss the costs of absenteeism arising from Muscoskeletal Disorders.

Deputy Ó Riordáin continues: “Arthritis Ireland representatives will address the Committee tomorrow on Muscoskeletal Disorders, which are a leading cause of absenteeism in the Irish workforce. They are expected to present worrying statistics on the levels of work days lost per year as a result of MSDs and the corresponding impact on the social welfare system. We look forward to exploring what measures can be put in place to reduce absenteeism and produce significant savings for the Exchequer.

The public session of this meeting takes place from 1pm tomorrow Wednesday 27 March in Committee Room 3, LH 2000.
Committee proceedings can be followed live here.

Mary Mitchell O’Connor and Dun Laoghaire IADT bring experts together to address cyberbullying

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Fine Gael Dun Laoghaire Deputy, Mary Mitchell O’Connor, in conjunction with the Dun Laoghaire Institute of Art Design and Technology (IADT) brought a range of national and international experts together on Saturday 23rd March to address the issue of cyberbullying at a conference entitled ‘Dealing With Cyberbullying: A Practical Approach’.

“The prevalence of cyberbullying and the affect is having on our young people especially cannot be ignored. Computer technology is the source of so much good in our lives and we must encourage the positive use of social media, in particular, so that young and old can continue have their lives enriched through the constructive use of computers.

“I, together with the IADT, co-hosted the Dealing With Cyberbullying: A Practical Approach Conference with a view to bringing a number of national and international experts together to examine the best way forward in dealing with this issue. The conference was targeted at second level schools and those dealing with young people and aimed to provide advice and support on cyberbullying and related issues.

“The topics for consideration at the one day conference centred around the European guidelines for preventing cyberbullying in the school environment; homophobic bullying, which the Government has been attempting to address in recent months; and the role of bystanders in combatting cyberbullying. Speakers will also look at the issue of sexting and the grooming of children online.

“We all have a role to play in stamping out this harmful practice. Children are sensitive enough when growing up without dealing with online harassment and all that goes with it. Parents, school and community organisations need to inform themselves about the best ways of protecting our children online and we need to teach them how, in turn, to behave when using social media.

“I found it very interesting to hear the contributors to the conference who were drawing on the most up-to-date research in this field. If we all work together and take the necessary steps we can eradicate cyberbullying. Getting the message out there that we will not stand idly by and let this intimidation go unchecked is key, this conference is a step in that direction.”

Action Plan on Bullying

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Mary Mitchell O’Connor has spoken out strongly about the problem of Bullying and CyberBullying.  Below are the Key findings and recommendations contained in the Report of the Anti-Bullying Working Group to the Minister for Education and Skills, January 2013
Bullying behaviour is a complex social issue and can take place anywhere
children and young people are together.  Bullying can occur in many different settings including in the home, in wider family and social groups and during sporting and youth club activities.
It is clear that parents and other adults who interact with children and young people, in formal and informal settings, have a huge role to play in preventing bullying and also in supporting children and young people who are: being bullied, have bullied someone else or have witnessed someone being bullied.
Adults, and parents in particular, need to:
– Be good role models for children and young people;
– Teach young people to respect and value difference and diversity;
– Make it their business to know what bullying is and understand the different types and forms of bullying;
– Educate themselves in relation to social media and take an active interest in how children and young people are using the internet, social media and
mobile phones;
– Know, and lookout for, the signs that a child or young person may be being bullied;
– Offer support and listen to what a child or young person wants you to do to help;
– Make it clear that bullying is not acceptable behaviour
The working group recommends that consideration be given in the context of the Children and Young People‟s Policy Framework to developing a new national framework which would set out the Government‟s commitment to preventing and tackling bullying for children and young people from early childhood through to adulthood.
The working group considers that further implementation of the Aistear and Síolta frameworks in early childhood practice will be a necessary element of any overarching national framework to address bullying.
The working group acknowledges the beneficial links which currently exist between schools, after school activities and youth focused services within their local communities. The working group recognises the value of youth work and other effective non-formal learning opportunities, in providing holistic developmental and educational opportunities for young people. The group recommends that schools should continue to strengthen collaboration and interaction with youth services and promote the active participation by pupils in youth focused services within their
local communities.
The group strongly encourages youth services, groups and organisations to develop and implement anti-bullying policies in the context of their work with young people and to avail of the range of training and supports available through the NYCI, BeLong To Youth Services and other national youth organisations in this regard.
The working group acknowledges the intention of the GAA to roll out a series of workshops for clubs entitled GAA Tackling Bullying from March 2013. The working group recommends that GAA clubs, along with other sporting organisations, work with schools to ensure a shared understanding of bullying in our communities, along with shared approaches to tackling bullying.
It is clear that social media and telecommunications companies and internet service providers have an important role to play in developing measures to prevent cyber bullying and to provide reporting mechanisms for those affected by cyber bullying. The working group encourages industry to continue to work with Irish State agencies and services, NGOs, parents and young people to raise awareness of cyber bullying and how it can be dealt with.
While recognising that the role of the media lies outside the terms of reference of this group, we would recommend that the Code Committee of the Press Council of Ireland reconsider whether expanding Principle 9 of their code would be appropriate in order to further support responsible reporting in this area.

Action Plan on Bullying is a significant step forward in rooting out harassment

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Stamp out bullying and cyberbullyingStamp out bullying and cyberbullyingEradicating bullying is the responsibility of parents, schools and communities.

Welcoming the publication this afternoon (Tuesday) of the Action Plan on Bullying, Fine Gael Dun Laoghaire Deputy and former school principal, Mary Mitchell O’Connor, said that while guidelines for combatting bullying in schools are extremely welcome, the responsibility to stamp out this harmful practice lies with all of us.

“The publication today, by the Minister for Education, Ruairí Quinn TD, and the Minister for Children, Frances Fitzgerald TD, of the Action Plan on Bullying marks the first significant step in getting to grips with bullying once and for all.

“This Action Plan on Bullying is the first of its kind in Ireland and points the way forward for our schools in combatting the abusive and threatening behaviour which some of our children are being exposed to, some on a daily basis. The fact that €500,000 in funding has already been identified and ring-fenced to action the Plan means that we can get the wheels in motion to deal with this damaging issue without delay.

“Last May, the two Ministers convened an Anti-Bullying Forum in the Department of Education – the first time such an event had taken place. Arising from that forum, Minister Quinn established an anti-bullying working group, tasked with producing an Action Plan on Bullying, with a particular focus on actions to combat bullying in our schools. As part of the Budget in December, Minister Quinn also secured €500,000 in funding to support the actions identified – the first time the Department of Education has had a ring-fenced budget for tackling issues related to bullying.

“The development of a new national anti-bullying procedure for all schools, incorporating an anti-bullying policy template and a system for recording incidents in schools will ensure that formal structures are in place to catalogue what is going on so that schools can get a better handle on bullying.

“The Plan also highlights the need for a more coordinated approach to be taken to bullying which takes account of what is happening in homes and the wider community. There is a pressing need to change the culture of how we interact with each other in terms of the respect we show one another. Parents not only need to open up the conversation with their children about bullying and remain vigilant to the signs, we also need to act as role models in the home and our localities.

“If we are serious about eradicating bullying we all need to work together. Ministers Quinn and Fitzgerald, and the Anti-Bullying Forum and Working Group, are to be commended for their work in compiling this report, which I hope will mark a sea-change in how we dealing with the bullying of our children.”

Combatting cyber bullying is everyone’s responsibility

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Parents need to make sure that children are neither the victims nor the perpetrators of bullying behaviour.

Fine Gael Dun Laoghaire Deputy, Mary Mitchell O’Connor, has today (Wednesday) said that combatting the growing abuse of children online is the responsibility of teachers, parents and the children who are aware that it is being carried out.

“In recent months we have witnessed a spate of tragic deaths of young girls, that have been linked to campaigns of cyber-bullying and abuse of these children at the hands of their peers. It is incumbent on all of us to get to grips with this and to ensure that this targeting of vulnerable people does not go unabated.

“First and foremost, we need to open up the conversation with our children that bullying should not be tolerated and that any attempts at bullying should be reported to a teacher, a parent or a trusted adult in authority. This should be the case, not only where the child is experiencing harmful and threatening behaviour directly, but if he/she is aware that another child is being victimised.

“Children should also be encouraged not to engage with bullies, but to block the sender and to save any evidence which can be used to build a case.

“Where teachers and parents are concerned, we must clearly relay to children the consequences that bullying can have on a child’s life. Children must be made aware that threatening behaviour will not be tolerated and that children may be held accountable, in the home and with the authorities, for the unthinkable outcomes of what they may perceive to be a bit of harmless fun.

“In addition to keeping a close eye on our children to ensure they are not being victimised, we must also ensure that they themselves are not the perpetrators of bullying behaviour. By employing the traditional values of the 4Ws; Where is your child? Who are they with? What are they doing? And at what time will they be home?; parents should be able to monitor their children’s activities.

“Bullying is an age-old problem which it is naïve to think we will ever completely eradicate. What we must do, however, is to work together to highlight the extreme outcomes for which bullying behaviour can sometimes be responsible. It is time to lift the lid of secrecy on bullying so that our children have the confidence to report it, allowing them to get on with a stress-free and bully-free childhood.”

New Anti-Bullying Forum will help address cyber-bullying in schools

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Fine Gael TD for Dún Laoghaire, Mary Mitchell O’Connor, has welcomed the announcement by Minister for Education, Ruairí Quinn, of a new Anti-Bullying Forum that will address cyber-bullying as part of its remit. Deputy Mitchell O’Connor has urged the Minister to ensure that the forum will lead to up to date anti-bullying guidelines for our schools which deal with the issue of cyber bullying.


“Our anti-bullying guidelines for schools were created in 1993 and have clearly become outdated. I sincerely hope that the Anti-Bullying Forum established by the Minister will lead to stronger and more robust anti-bullying guidelines for our schools which also address the issue of cyber bullying.
“This is an issue that is particularly close to my heart. As a former school principal, I am well aware of the often lasting harm which bullying inflicts on its victims. I would urge the Anti-Bullying Forum to look at how school management can address occurrences of bullying between pupils outside of school hours, especially on the internet.
“It is important to point out the crucial role of parents in identifying and addressing bullying, whether their child be the perpertrator or the victim. Parents have a particular duty to monitor what their children are doing on the internet. A worrying issue which is on the increase is the targeting of teachers on the internet. Online innuendo, which is often of a sexual nature, can cause considerable upset to its victims.
“I believe that education on bullying within our schools should be given greater priority and I hope the anti-bullying forum will look at this issue. The Junior Cert Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE) curriculum informs pupils about the dangers of cyber-bullying. However teachers complain that SPHE is often under-prioritised in favour of other subjects.
We have made progress in recent years in recognising and addressing the issue of bullying inside and outside our schools but it’s clear that we still have a long way to go. I am very hopeful that the Anti-Bullying Forum will help point the way towards lessening the incidences of bullying in and around our schools.”