Sex education overhaul: 'It’s great that porn is going to be addressed'

Sex education in Ireland is getting a revamp. From September, students in the junior cycle will be taught about consent, relationships, the effects of pornography on sexual expectations and LGBTQ issues as part of their Social, Personal and Health Education curriculum (SPHE). While the proposed changes are largely welcomed, there is still some pushback, specifically on issues relating to gender identity and porn literacy.

Meanwhile, many young people are learning about sex and relationships from friends, the internet and porn.

In this episode, education editor Carl O’Brien explains what to expect from the new syllabus, what impact the objections have had so far and why some schools might opt out of teaching it. While Eoghan Cleary, a teacher in Greystones Co. Wicklow tells host Aideen Finnegan about a wellbeing program in his school that teaches students about consent, respectful relationships and “how to consume porn in a critical manner”.

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