Fiona O'Loughlin (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for her response. I acknowledge that the parent and student charter will be welcome. There has been a significant delay in implementing the legislation but I am glad to hear it is approaching Second Stage in the Dáil.

I accept and acknowledge that there are a significant number of supports but more are needed. As time goes on and more research is done, we learn more and need to be able to adapt. For example, the whole area of restorative justice in schools has come to the fore in recent years and it is transformative. I know about this particularly through my acquaintance with the former principal of Scoil Na Naomh Uilig in Newbridge, Ms Noreen Duggan. She found that restorative justice was an incredible tool to reform and change the behaviour of the perpetrators of bullying. It is an approach we definitely need to consider.

The presence in schools of the National Educational Psychological Service, NEPS, is, unfortunately, far too low. I emphasise again that training is still continually needed for teachers and, of course, parents in the school community.