A survey conducted by Trinity College Dublin (TCD) has found that over 25 per cent of primary school pupils had taken part in bullying other children.
The survey found that 18.6 per cent of primary school children reported they had been bullied occasionally, 8.4 per cent said they were moderately bullied while 4.3 per cent claimed they were bullied at least once a week.
Only 15 per cent of post-primary pupils surveyed admitted to bullying others during school hours. A further 2.9 per cent said they had been bullied sometimes while 1.9 per cent said they had been bullied frequently.
The survey carried out by TCD's Anti-Bullying Centre also found that 27 per cent of primary and 38 per cent of post-primary pupils did nothing when they saw another pupil of their own age being bullied, while feeling they should be trying to do something.
Speaking at the launch of a TCD Anti-Bullying DVD this evening, Minister for Education Mary Hanafin said that bullying is "wrong" and should not be "tolerated".
Ms Hanafin said: "At school level, a policy on bullying can only work if the children, teachers, the principal, parents and Board of Management all sign up to it and adhere to it."
Professor Mona O'Moore TCD Head of the School of Education, said that schools have the potential to reduce the levels of bullying and violence.
"It is essential for all schools in Ireland to develop awareness, commitment and skills to address this issue," she added.
The DVD, which was produced by Animo Communications, contains three video modules designed to be used in the classroom and includes a series of dramatised pieces in which young Irish actors play the parts of people being bullied, people who ignore the bullying, and bullies.