Paudge Connolly (Cavan-Monaghan, Independent)
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Question 346: To ask the Minister for Education and Science her views on the referral rooms or sin bin solution to the enforcement of discipline at post-primary level in UK schools and a number of Irish schools; if it is proposed to suggest the extension of this policy to all schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16989/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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My Department supports several initiatives in place in second level schools which aim to assist students with behavioural difficulties in dealing with and overcoming such problems. It would be entirely wrong to label such initiatives as "sin bins". My Department subscribes to the principle that the needs of students with behavioural difficulties should be addressed in the most inclusive setting possible, which, for the vast majority of students, is in mainstream classes.

I wish to refer the Deputy to the fact that I recently established a task force to consider and report on the issue of student behaviour in second level schools.

I want the work of that task force to provide a solid foundation for developing policies and best practice in our schools in future. The task force will be linking closely to a wide range of interests across our education system on this very 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.

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.