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Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 5 Mar 1998

Vol. 488 No. 3

Written Answers - Legal Actions.

Eamon Gilmore

Question:

114 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Education and Science the number of legal actions of which he has knowledge or received notice; the number threatened or in progress against him or his Department in relation to the provision of education facilities or appropriate standard of education; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6062/98]

The information available in my Department indicates that there are 272 sets of legal proceedings where I, as Minister, am a defendant. These cases are at various stages in the legal process and some will have effectively lapsed due to failure of the plaintiffs to proceed with them.

No record is kept of cases in which legal action is threatened. There would be very little benefit in keeping such records as there are many instances where litigation is threatened but not proceeded with. Where the matter at issue is the provision of education facilities or an appropriate standard of education, my Department makes all reasonable efforts, in consultation with parents and school authorities, to meet the needs of children. Most cases are resolved in this way, without recourse to litigation.

Of the 272 cases referred to above, 48 relate to the provision of education facilities or an appropriate standard of education.

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