The bill provides for LGBTQ+ inclusive sexual education in schools, which includes the teaching of consent and contraception among others.
A press conference was held on Wednesday morning with an intent to highlight the need for properly taught sexual education in Irish schools, and to call on Taoiseach Leo Varadkar to commit spending money on same.
LGBTQ+ lobby groups called on Varadkar earlier to embark on a change of mind and refrain from blocking funds from the cause before Dublin Pride Festival kicks off this weekend.
Should the Taoiseach decide to commit funding to the project, by signing what is called a 'money message', a commitment would be made by the Government to spend the money necessary, should the bill ultimately become law.
The Provision of Objective Sexual Education Bill, fronted by TDs Paul Murphy, Bríd Smyth and Ruth Coppinger, guarantees the right of students to receive factual and objective relationships and sexuality education regardless of a school's ethos.
The legislation was passed two months ago from Second Stage to Committee Stage but the Taoiseach is currently blocking funding for the bill, hindering the possibility for it to move on further and become implemented.
At the briefing held in Buswell's Hotel on Wednesday, representatives from a variety of LGBTQ+ groups expressed their disdain at Varadkar's decision to block funds, something which was requested by the Ceann Comhairle in order for the legislation to progress to the next stage.
During the Leader's Questions shorting after the briefing, Solidarity TD Paul Murphy questioned the Taoiseach on why he is planning to block the bill, claiming that his decision is an "undemocratic use of the money."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FkDIFRah3qY&feature=youtu.be
Clip via Solidarity - The Left Alternative
"Does the Taoiseach not accept that you can have the best curriculum in the world but because of the characteristic spirit of the schools, and the way that's protected by the Education Act, the schools are under no obligation to actually teach it?" Murphy asked.
https://twitter.com/paulmurphy_TD/status/1011939157147602944
Speaking in Cabinet today, Varadkar said that no other curriculum is decided by primary legislation.
As it stands, both Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE) and Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE) are mandatory for both primary and post-primary students - however, what is taught is largely up to the individual teacher and also there is a legal obligation to stay within the ethos of the school.
As well as this, there is also currently no formal education for Irish students about sexually transmitted diseases.
Executive Director Niall Mulligan of HIV Ireland believes that this omission is the reason for the growing spike in diagnoses over the past few decades.
"A lot of what we do is we're responding to people who present to us who are afraid that they may have contracted HIV, purely because they don't know how to tell or what's at risk if they do."
According to Education Minister Richard Bruton, certain elements of the RSE curriculum currently being taught in schools are up to 20 years old.
