The parents of a 10-year-old boy bullied out of a Meath school over his South African accent have been “overwhelmed” by the public’s response to their plight.

Schools will be asked to improve their efforts to combat bullying with recommendations on how to achieve it from a forum being set up by the Government.

The parents of a 10-year-old boy who was forced to leave school because of bullying have set up a Facebook group as a support for other families to come forward and share their stories.

THE father of teenager Phoebe Prince who died by suicide in January 2010 has urged Education Minister Ruairi Quinn to back plans for an anti-bullying programme in all schools from next year.