Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 7 October 2020
122. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Education if she has had regard to concerns raised by the Ombudsman for Children in the area of the Ombudsman being able to investigate complaints in a school. [28978/20]
View answerThe Education (Student and Parent Charter) Bill 2019 reflects the commitment contained in the Programme for a Partnership Government to introduce a stronger complaints procedures and charter for parents.
It is important to note that the overall approach in the Bill is to shift away from reacting to problems in schools after they arise, to an approach which aims to improve the day-to-day experience students and their parents can expect from schools. In doing so, it is envisaged that the amount of grievances in schools should reduce.
A particularly important aspect of the Bill is that where a concern is brought to the attention of a school, the school should address and resolve that concern as far as possible, at an early stage, and this approach will further help reduce the need for recourse to any formal processes.
However, the Bill does recognise that formal complaints will still arise and it provides for the Charter guidelines to put in place new standardised complaints procedures that will have to be followed by all schools.
The complaints procedures will be developed in consultation with the stakeholders including parent and student representatives which will help ensure that they are straightforward, fair and accessible to parents and students.
I am aware of the concerns raised by the Ombudsman for Children with regard to the investigation of complaints and will continue to engage with his office in relation to the Bill in this regard.
The Bill will not alter the existing right of parents, who have exhausted the schools complaints procedures, to make a complaint to the Office of the Ombudsman for Children.
