Schools Complaints Procedures

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 9 July 2014

Wednesday, 9 July 2014

Questions (84)

John Browne

Question:

84. Deputy John Browne asked the Minister for Education and Skills the action his Department is taking to resolve a major dispute in a primary school (details supplied) in County Wexford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29981/14]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

The Deputy will be aware that under the Education Act 1998, legally, all schools are managed by school Boards of Management, on behalf of the school patrons or trustees. Accordingly, whereas I provide funding and policy direction for schools, neither I nor the Department have legal powers to instruct schools to follow a particular course of direction with regards to individual complaint cases, or to investigate individual complaints except where the complaint involves a refused enrolment, expulsion or suspension, in accordance with Section 29 of the 1998 Education Act.

In dealing with parental complaints, my Department's role is to clarify for parents how their grievances and complaints against schools can be progressed. Where a parent feels that the school's board of management has failed to investigate or adequately investigate their complaint, they should contact the Ombudsman for Children. The Office of the Ombudsman for Children may independently investigate complaints about schools recognised with the Department of Education and Skills, provided the parent has firstly and fully followed the school's complaints procedures. The key criterion for any intervention by the Ombudsman for Children is that the action of the school has had a negative effect on a child. The office can be contacted at Ombudsman for Children's Office, Millennium House, 52-56 Great Strand Street, Dublin1, (Ph) 1800 20 20 40 or [phone], E-mail [e-mail]. I understand from my officials that, in the case of the school in question, the patron has, in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Education Act 1998, appointed a single manager to manage the school. Where a single manager is in place he/she assumes the same responsibilities as a Board of Management.