Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 9 March 2004
238 Mr. Connolly asked the Minister for Education and Science the number of appeals against suspension or exclusion from post-primary schools, voluntary, VEC, community and comprehensive and primary schools that have been made under the Education (Welfare) Act 2000; the reasons for such suspensions or exclusion; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7449/04]
View answerThe provision to appeal against a decision to suspend or exclude a pupil is set out under section 29 of the Education Act 1998 rather than, as the Deputy's question states, the Education (Welfare) Act 2000. Section 29 of the Education Act 1998 provides for an appeal to the Secretary General of my Department where a board of management of a school or a person acting on its behalf refuses to enrol a student, suspends a student for a cumulative total of more than 20 days in an academic year or expels a student from the school. The file which I have forwarded to the Deputy details the number of appeals against suspensions and expulsions which have been made under section 29 of the Education Act 1998 up to 31 January 2004. The reasons underlying each suspension or exclusion are unique to the particular case and each appeal is considered by the appeals committee having regard to the circumstances of the particular case. My Department does not seek to categorise the reasons given for suspensions or exclusions in appeal cases.
