Leo Varadkar says LGBTI+ relationships must be included in sex education programmes

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All publicly funded schools should adhere to Government policy by including LGBTI+ relationships in all sex education programmes, Tánaiste Leo Varadkar has said.

Leo Varadkar said the Government is very explicit on the issue and has included it in its Programme for Government.

He made the comments after a new sex-education programme for Catholic primary schools stated that the Church’s teaching on marriage between a man and a woman ‘cannot be omitted’.

© Provided by Extra.ie All publicly funded schools should adhere to Government policy by including LGBTI+ relationships in all sex education programmes, Leo Varadkar has said. Pic: Sam Boal/RollingNews.ie

The Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE) programme was developed by the Irish Bishops Conference and also described how sex was a ‘gift from God’.

There are 2,800 Catholic primary schools around the country, accounting for 90% of all primary schools in Ireland.

Mr Varadkar said Taoiseach Micheál Martin and the Minister for Education, Norma Foley, will make a statement on plans for sex education in primary schools.

© Provided by Extra.ie Mr Varadkar said Taoiseach Micheál Martin and the Minister for Education, Norma Foley, will make a statement on plans for sex education in primary schools. Pic: Julien Behal Photography

Co-leader of the Social Democrats, Róisín Shortall said that teaching children that relationships can be placed in a hierarchy depending on sexual orientation should be ‘anathema’ in any modern republic.

‘Last month, incredibly, the Vatican reaffirmed that the Catholic Church cannot bless same-sex unions because God cannot, quote, “bless sin”,’ she told the Dáil.

‘That was the Church’s position. Let’s not pretend otherwise. But it is not the State’s position, it is not the public’s.

© Provided by Extra.ie Co-leader of the Social Democrats, Róisín Shortall said that teaching children that relationships can be placed in a hierarchy depending on sexual orientation should be ‘anathema’ in any modern republic. Pic: Collins

‘We had a marriage equality referendum in this country in 2015, which passed by a huge majority, and same-sex marriage is every bit as valid as heterosexual marriage.

‘Tánaiste, teaching children that relationships can be placed in a hierarchy depending on sexual orientation should be anathema in any modern republic.

‘Do we really want LGBTQ+ children in schools, who may be struggling with their sexual orientation, to be taught that their relationships are in any way less worthy, meaningful, loving, or deserving of respect than their heterosexual peers? Because that is the influence of this programme.’

© Provided by Extra.ie Minister for Education Norma Foley. Pic: Maxwells

She added: ‘Why is it that in 2021, relationships and sexuality education for our children is being developed by Catholic bishops?

‘Why does the Education Minister remain silent on this?’

Mr Varadkar said the Programme for Government is very explicit that it will develop inclusive and ageappropriate curricula for RSE and social, personal and health Education across primary and post-primary schools, including an inclusive programme on LGBTI+ relationships.

‘As things stand, all schools have to have an RSE policy that has to be developed in consultation with school management, parents, teachers and students as appropriate.

© Provided by Extra.ie Ms Shortall said it was ‘wrong’ that the Church is given a choice about the type of education children receive, but Irish parents are not. Pic: Gareth Chaney/Collins

‘The ethos of schools should never preclude learners from requiring the knowledge about the issues, but may influence how the content is treated.

‘Access to sexual and health education is an important right for students, and it’s a mandatory part of the curriculum in our primary schools and post-primary schools for junior cycle.’

Ms Shortall said it was ‘wrong’ that the Church is given a choice about the type of education children receive, but Irish parents are not.

‘As long as the Church controls 90% of schools, that choice will be absent.’