Vol. 482 No. 3
387 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Education and Science if he will give details of his Department's policy in relation to the placement of students who have been expelled or asked to leave schools, both in the case of the compulsory years of education and the non-compulsory years; if his Department will review this policy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17847/97]
There are a number of students who are not attending school because they have been expelled or otherwise excluded from school.
The selection and enrolment of pupils in primary and secondary schools is, in the first instance, the responsibility of individual school managerial authorities.
Under the rules for national schools, no pupil shall be struck off the rolls for breaches of discipline without the prior consent of the patron and unless alternative arrangements are made for the enrolment of the pupil at another suitable school.
At second level, the managerial authorities of each school are responsible for ensuring that a fair and efficient code of behaviour, encompassing rules, sanctions and procedures, is drawn up and applied in the school. My Department has issued "Guidelines Towards a Positive Policy for School Behaviour and Discipline" together with "A Suggested Code of Behaviour and Discipline" to all schools. These guidelines stress both the need for proportionality of response to incidents of misbehaviour and the use of expulsion only as a last resort. Circumstances will vary from school to school, and it is only those initimately involved with a particular school who can draw up the details of a code of discipline appropriate to that school.
It is open to parents who experience school placement difficulties to seek assistance from my Department in securing an alternative school placement through the involvement of the Inspectorate in a consultative process with school authorities. My Department's psychological service is available to assess pupils with special needs in order to identify the most appropriate provision for such students.
Programmes such as youth encounter projects and Youthreach are designed to cater for pupils whose needs can best be dealt with outside of the mainstream school system.
Proposals aimed at addressing the issues relating to pupil exclusions and school attendance are under consideration within my Department at present, and will be addressed further in the context of forthcoming legislation.
