Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 52 and 69 together.

I recently established a task force to consider and report on the issue of student behaviour in second level schools. The task force is chaired by Dr. Maeve Martin of the National University of Ireland, Maynooth. I want the work of this task force to provide a solid foundation for developing policies and best practice in our schools into the future. The task force will link closely to a wide range of interests across the education system on this important issue.

A consultative group is also to be formed comprising all the partners in education and allowing for their input to the deliberations of the task force. In addition, I have asked that the task force constitute fora of teachers, parents and students with a view to testing emerging ideas and proposals. The task force recently invited, by public advertisement, submissions from interested individuals and groups. There have been four meetings of the task force to date and other meetings are planned.

Two consultative fora have been organised, the first in Cork on 14 March and the second in Galway on 21 March. The chairperson and three of the task force members will attend. The planned format is to meet separate groups of teachers, parents and students with a member of the task force acting as rapporteur for each group. This will then be followed by a plenary session which will be chaired by Dr. Martin. The task force will wait to see how this format works before organising any further such fora but it is certainly envisaged that more will be convened. A number of submissions have been received, a number of organisations have indicated their intention to make submissions and there is still plenty of time before the deadline of 31 March 2005.

I have asked the task force to make recommendations by June 2005 with a view to having them implemented by the beginning of the next academic year. I have also asked the task force to complete its work by the end of 2005. However, it may produce interim reports to highlight various issues of analysis and research.

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