Peter Power (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)

It is normal at the start of a debate such as this to welcome the placing of a motion before the House. While I welcome any motion on education, is the timing of this one appropriate? Reading through the motion, there is little in it with which one could disagree. I would have thought it would have been preferable to have had a fuller debate when the Martin report, the final report of the task force on student behaviour, was published. While I welcome any motion that advances further discussion on education, we could have had a more enlightened and better discussion if we had had the benefit of the recommendations of that report. When we see what is proposed, we can decide to have a more enlightened discussion.

There are two issues on which I wish to concentrate, the first of which is parental responsibility. There has been little discussion of parental responsibility in the debate so far. Ultimately, in all these matters, whether it is anti-social behaviour in communities, bullying in the streets or indiscipline in classrooms, much of it comes from the home environment. How is it that in hundreds of classes and hundreds of schools throughout the country the majority, more than 90% according to the report, are fully compliant students engaged in the learning process and only a few cause disruption and indiscipline? How is it that the majority of students can go to school and engage in the learning process and a few can go to school and cause disruption? No matter what recommendations or initiatives are introduced by the Government, there will always be that intangible element to the debate that students ought, in the first instance, to go to school with some modicum of self-discipline that has been inculcated in the family environment. That is vital and not enough emphasis has been put on it in the debate.

Another aspect that should be dispelled is the suggestion that schools that derive their cohort of students from socially deprived and disadvantaged areas give rise to the majority of indiscipline. That is a notion that ought to be dispelled. Indiscipline, bullying and disruption can occur in any classroom in any school no matter what area of the country. My final point relates to the issue of teachers' ability to control their classes and establish a properly regulated and happy class environment in which young pupils can fulfil their potential. All of us, regardless of our background, know that some classes, regardless of their configuration or the nature of the students, suffer from rampant indiscipline because the teachers are simply unable to stamp their authority on them. However, in other classes there are no problems whatsoever. The students who run riot in one classroom, and who can reduce teachers to tears and practically assault them, are like sheep 40 minutes later in another classroom. This leads one to question the authority that certain teachers impose on their classes. I do not blame the teachers but one must acknowledge that some have difficulties in this area. A key part of the strategy should be the continuous professional development of teachers. As discipline becomes more difficult to handle and as society changes, teachers should be given, on an ongoing basis, the most up-to-date information, training and skills to control their classes.

I welcome the motion and look forward to the publication of the task force's report and to discussing how best to implement its recommendations.

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