Tom Hayes (Tipperary South, Fine Gael)
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Question 123: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if she will be updating the recommendations that issue to all schools with regard to student behaviour and discipline; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13352/06]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The National Educational Welfare Board, NEWB, has commenced work on developing guidelines for schools on codes of behaviour, as provided for under section 23 of the Education (Welfare) Act 2000. The process involves the drawing up of a draft framework discussion document for the guidelines, which will be used as a basis for consultations with the key stakeholders including school management, teachers, parents, and children.

The board has established an expert working group for this purpose and the group is working to develop the draft framework discussion document for the guidelines; review the feedback from the national consultation process and finalise the proposals for code of behaviour guidelines. Regard will also be had to the work of task force on student behaviour in post-primary schools.

Following the consultation process, guidelines will be finalised and issued to schools. It is expected that this work will be completed this year. An implementation process, aimed at supporting the schools in putting the guidelines into action will also be developed in parallel with work on the guidelines.