Seanad Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 30 May 2006

Vol. 183 No. 20

School Staffing.

Mr. Bannon

I welcome the Minister of State at the Department of Transport, Deputy Gallagher, and thank him for attending to discuss this important matter. It highlights the need for the Minister for Education and Science to give her response to the difficulties encountered by Lanesboro Community College, County Longford with regard to the teaching of woodwork and technical graphics. The Minister of State's presence is an acknowledgement that a problem exists in Lanesboro College, despite the telephone call to my office from the Minister's Department denying knowledge of difficulties in the school and querying the necessity for this Adjournment matter. I have in my possession correspondence between the parents' association and the Department so I am fully aware that channels of communication were open. Records show that this communication has been ongoing.

The problem in Lanesboro Community College relates to the teaching of woodwork and technical graphics and to the unprecedented and continuous absence of a teacher. The parents' association in the college has exhausted all local avenues open to it, including numerous meetings with the principal of the college and the chief executive officer of Longford Vocational Education Committee. The matter has also been discussed at a number of VEC meetings and in 2004 it was the subject of a parliamentary question in the Dáil in an effort to resolve it in a national forum. Full acknowledgement is given by the parents to the efforts made by the principal of the college and the chief executive officer of the Longford VEC to resolve the problem and the effects it is having on the students, but they realise that the matter cannot be resolved at local level.

I am aware from correspondence that the Minister is of the view that this is not a matter for her or her Department to resolve. However, given the conviction of the parents' association of the college, I beg to differ with the Minister. The sensitivities of this issue are obvious. The matter is beyond the ability of local interests to resolve. In the interests of students in this college, I ask the Minister to meet the representatives of the parents' association to try to find a route to end this impasse.

Minister of State at the Department of Transport (Mr. Gallagher)

I apologise on behalf of the Minister for Education and Science, Deputy Hanafin, who is unable to be here. She has asked me to respond on her behalf. I thank Senator Bannon for raising this matter and giving me the opportunity to outline to the House the position of the Department of Education and Science on the matter raised by him.

The issue of quality of teaching within a school falls within the remit of the board of management and principal of that school. I wish to make that clear. It is the duty of the board to provide, or cause to be provided, an appropriate education for all students attending the school. The Education Act requires that "schools use their available resources ... to establish and maintain systems whereby the efficiency and effectiveness of its operation can be assessed, including the quality and effectiveness of teaching in the school".

The guidance and direction of teachers, the assignment of their teaching duties and the monitoring of the quality of learning and teaching on a day to day basis is the responsibility of the principal of the school, which in turn is accountable to the board of management. The Department of Education and Science inspectorate, through whole-school evaluation, monitors the performance of principals and boards of management in this regard.

As Senator Bannon is well aware, Lanesboro Community College is administered by County Longford Vocational Education Committee, a statutory body established under the Vocational Education Acts. Matters relating to the day to day running of community colleges are appropriate, in the first instance, to the board of management of the school and, in the second instance, to the vocational education committee concerned. The difficulties to which the Senator referred are ones which are appropriately being dealt with, in the first instance, by the board of management of the college and then by the County Longford Vocational Education Committee.

This should clarify the position. I thank the Senator for raising this matter and giving me this opportunity to clarify matters.