asked the Minister for Education if he has concluded his investigations into the attitudes of the various teaching bodies on the issue of the abolition of corporal punishment in schools; and if he intends to take the necessary steps for its abolition.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Corporal Punishment in Schools.
21.
I am still awaiting some submissions from teacher and managerial associations. I am not, accordingly, in a position to make a statement on the matter at present.
Would the Minister tell the House what managerial associations he is awaiting replies from?
I have not the list here. I am waiting replies from most of them. I have a note here to remind me to send reminders to them. I have written to them already and I have got acknowledgments from some.
If it is easier for the Minister, perhaps he could tell the House which associations have replied?
I have not got a list of those with me here. I must write again to those who have not sent in submissions.
Will the Minister be doing this fairly soon?
Yes.
22.
asked the Minister for Education if, in view of the EEC ruling on the offence to human rights involved in the use of caning, the Government will now ban its use in schools.
23.
asked the Minister for Education if he has studied the decision of the European Court of Human Rights that birching is a degrading form of punishment; and if he will make a statement on the implications of this decision for discipline in Irish schools.
With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 22 and 23 together.
I assume the questions refer to the judgment of the European Court of Human Rights in the Tyrer case. I have so far seen only a summary of the judgment as given in a press release of the Council of Europe.
In this connection I should draw attention to the fact that the judgment refers to judicial corporal punishment only.
I may also quote in this regard paragraph 26 of the Report of the Commission of Human Rights, adopted on 14 December 1976—
In this application the Commission is only concerned with the question of judicial corporal punishment and not any other form of corporal punishment. This means that the Commission has to judge the nature of the punishment in this case, without taking into account the practice or legality of whipping in educational institutions.
I have already replied to Question No. 21 on the order paper in relation to the use of corporal punishment in schools.
Arising out of the detailed nature of the Minister's reply concerning the fact that the EEC decision relates only to judicial punishment, can he give the House an assurance that no corporal punishment will be used as part of the educational regime in Loughan House?
That is a separate question.
It is not merely a separate question but a different Minister.
Is the Minister saying that he will have no responsibility for the educational facilities in Loughan House?
Question No. 24.
Might I finally ask the Minister whether he is further aware of the fact that there are two other cases specifically dealing with corporal punishment in schools which are pending in Europe and whether he is causing his officials to keep a close watch on the progress of this case as it goes through the European Court of Human Rights?
I can assure the Deputy that my officials keep a very close eye on Europe, on Ireland and on me.
I hope the Minister's officials will keep a close eye on Loughan House as well.
Loughan House is in my constituency. The Deputy can be quite sure that I will keep a close eye on it and whatever educational input I can make to it for the benefit of those there I will do so.
No corporal punishment I hope.