Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)
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Question 485: To ask the Minister for Education and Science her views on whether there is a shortage of staff in the behaviour support service; and if there are plans to increase resources for this service. [6007/07]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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At the core of the recommendations of the Task Force on Student Behaviour was the establishment of a Behaviour Support Team. The purpose of this Team was envisaged as helping identify problems of student behaviour in second-level schools, leading to the development of strategies to resolve these problems and to facilitate the implementation of these strategies in practice.

Since then, and over a short time-scale, a National Behaviour Support Service (NBSS) has been established which is based in Navan Education Centre. A multi-disciplinary professional team has been recruited and appointed to the NBSS which consists of a National Co-ordinator, four Assistant National Co-ordinators, eight Regional Development Officers and twenty part-time Associates. In addition, a senior psychologist and three psychologists have been assigned to the team. A full-time administrator is based in Navan Education Centre.

At this moment there is sufficient staff employed for the Behaviour Support Service.