Dan Neville (Limerick West, Fine Gael)
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Question 137: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the support services which are available for teachers in view of the high levels of stress among teachers and the numbers of teachers leaving on early retirement; and her views on whether these services provide enough support for those under pressure due to indiscipline, litigation and so on. [5386/06]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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Opportunities for professional development and the availability of support on a personal level are important in every profession in enabling staff to work to the best of their abilities and to deal with stress. The priority that I attach to providing quality professional development for teachers is evident from the levels of funding provided in successive budgets for this purpose.

Enhanced opportunities for professional development will help teachers to stay at the top of their profession. However, I recognise that just like employees in every other line of work, there will be times during teachers' careers when they might need support on a personal, rather than on a professional level. My Department, in consultation with the teachers' unions and management groups, is developing an occupational health strategy as a supportive resource for teachers. The aim of such a strategy will be to promote the health of teachers in their workplace, with a focus primarily on prevention rather than cure. I will be making an announcement in the very near future on a first initiative under this strategy.

With regard to creating a positive school environment in all our schools in which students and staff can work, the Deputy will be aware that I established a task force to review the issue of student behaviour. I have only recently received the final report of the task force and I expect to be in a position in the near future to arrange for its publication.