Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 27 Mar 1990

Vol. 397 No. 5

Written Answers. - Accidents in Schools.

John Bruton

Question:

169 Mr. J. Bruton and Mr. Flanagan asked the Minister for Education if she will consider introducing provisions to cope with accidents occurring at schools including: (a) having an accident record book in each school similar to that in industry (b) giving teachers authority to call medical help for individual students without the necessity of consulting parents or guardians (c) giving teachers training in first aid (d) operating regular fire drills in schools and (e) issuing general guidelines to schools in relation to ways of coping with accidents occurring in school.

Minister for Education (Mrs. O'Rourke)

The issues to which the Deputies refer are in the first instance matters for the authorities of individual schools. My Department has from time to time issued detailed fire safety documentation to schools and some years ago was involved in the preparation of general guidelines on first aid, which were produced by the Health Education Bureau and issued to schools.

I recently launched a report prepared by the Irish Red Cross on safety in schools. The booklet and posters accompanying the report will give teachers interesting ideas about safety in schools and will build an awareness in children of the importance of safety in the classroom and in the playground.