Joe O'Toole (Independent)

We must think of the other children in the class as well. We can only strike the necessary balance if we use an agreed process. This Bill will allow such a process to evolve, develop and work. I do not doubt there will be difficulties with it; there are bound to be difficulties with it. The teachers who have been waiting for a new system to be put in place will be able to deal with it. While we might say that it could have been provided for earlier, it is in our nature as teachers to think that nothing is on time.

It is important to emphasise that when schools draw up codes of behaviour, which do not arrive out of the air, they will consult the entire school community. Codes of behaviour should be taken into account by the inspectorate when it conducts whole school evaluations. The inspectorate will be able to decide whether the codes make sense. It is important that we provide for a stamp of approval at every stage. Each of the partners in the school community — parents, the board of management, the pupils, the principal and the staff — needs to be committed to this process. The inspectorate will be responsible for deciding whether each code is fine and within the terms of the guidelines. Hard decisions can be taken after the various steps have been followed.

I compliment the Minister on her decision to ensure the system is statutorily based, because that will give everybody confidence. It is important that these new provisions are being introduced on a statutory basis, rather than by means of regulation or circular, which is often tempting. If they had been introduced by means of regulation or circular, I would not expect them to last very long before the courts were used on every occasion. We can make progress in this regard on the basis of this legislation.

Fáiltím roimh na moltaí atá sa reachtaíocht seo. Tá súil agam go n-éireóidh leis. Tá mé cinnte go ndéanfaidh sé dul chun cinn sna scoileanna. Tá a fhios agam go mbeidh deacrachtaí ar leith ann chun an rud a chur chun tosaigh i dtosach. Bíonn deacrachtaí ann i gcónaí. Tá sé tábhachtach go mbeidh iontaoibh ag múinteoirí, tuismitheoirí, na boird bhainistíochta agus the school community sa chód agus sa phróiseas. I hope they give it a vote of confidence ionas go n-éireóidh leis. Táimid ag feitheamh leis an reachtaíocht seo leis na blianta, ach tá sé againn anois. Tá súil agam go n-éireóidh leis.