Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 43: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if she will bring forward legislative amendments to the Education Act 1998 beforethe end of 2006; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25746/06]

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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Question 68: To ask the Minister for Education and Science when she will outline the changes that will be made to section 29 of the Education Act 1998; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25745/06]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 43 and 68 together.

The Report of the Task Force of Student Behaviour in Second Level Schools, launched in March of this year, recommended that section 29 of the Education Act be amended to stress the rights of the compliant majority to learn while at the same time protecting the rights of the persistently disruptive student to an education. The Task Force also recommended examining the timeframes involved in these appeals. I have undertaken a review of the legislation as a result of these recommendations. I propose to bring forward a new Bill which will amend section 29 to take account of the Task Force recommendations and intend to publish this Bill in 2006.