Paul McGrath (Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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Question 75: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the way in which she intends to tackle growing discipline problems in schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12937/05]

Liz McManus (Wicklow, Labour)
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Question 119: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if her attention has been drawn to the call from the TUI, arising from concerns regarding declining school discipline, for the introduction of new legislative measures to outline the rights and responsibilities of both pupils and teachers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13012/05]

Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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Question 137: To ask the Minister for Education and Science when she expects to receive the report of the task force on student behaviour in secondary schools; if her attention has been drawn to serious concern expressed at recent teacher union conferences regarding the increasing problems of school discipline; if she plans interim measures to deal with this problem, pending the receipt of the report; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13011/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 75, 119 and 137 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 our education system on this important issue.

A consultative group is part of the process, 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 invited, by public advertisement, submissions from interested individuals and groups.

There have been eight meetings of the task force to date and other meetings are planned. The partners in education were invited to make oral submissions at a number of the task force meetings. Two consultative fora have been held, in Cork on 14 March and Galway on 21 March. A further two consultative fora have been organised for the coming weeks in Dundalk and Clondalkin. The chairperson and three of the task force members have attended the fora. The 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 is followed by a plenary session which is chaired by Dr. Martin.

To date more than 130 submissions have been received. The deadline for receipt of submissions, 31 March 2005, has passed. However, submissions continue to arrive and the task force is still accepting them. I have asked the task force to let me have an interim report by June 2005 and complete its work by the end of 2005.