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.