Aisling Dolan (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the witnesses for their submissions, which are very powerful. I appreciate hearing from the parents' perspectives. There are representatives from schools present, but it is good to hear from the NPC and the NPCPP.

Mental health and well-being have been highlighted. We have done many reports. The witnesses will be aware of the committee's report School Bullying and the Impact on Mental Health. I am very interested in some of the recommendations that we put forward in the report. How schools manage bullying or challenging behaviour is one of the things that I would like to see included in children's school reports. That could be managed in a way that brings together parents, teachers and students. The phrase "active bystanders" is used in this regard. I am interested in how a school community manages when there is an instance of bullying. There always will be bullying in every classroom across Ireland. Bullying is not just in schools. As I have stated previously, it can be found in all walks of life. Could the witnesses comment on this matter? If I were a parent, I would be looking to see how my child's school manages difficult and challenging issues, as well as the academic excellence and the sporting prowess of pupils. This is one of those things that would be important for parents to know. It that should be reported on.

When it comes to marking exams, it would be useful to know how many teachers in a school are involved in marking exams, particularly at post-primary level. I ask the two parents' representative organisations to comment on those matters.