asked the Minister for Education if he has yet concluded his investigation into the case of the principal teacher in a County Cork school who was found guilty of assaulting a child pupil under his care at the school.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Assault on Pupil.
I presume the Deputy is referring to the case where a civil action for damages was taken against a teacher and in relation to which the Deputy addressed previous questions to me on the 25th March and the 16th April.
I have not yet completed my inquiries into the case.
I believe that the Minister—possibly unwittingly—has misled the House in this regard because this is the answer that I got when I first asked the question. In supplementary answers by the Minister, I was told inquiries had been begun. I was not told that the inquiry had begun. Later on I was told the inspector had not actually been assigned to make the inquiries. Could the Minister say now whether the inquiry has in fact yet begun?
I understand that inquiries are being made. The Deputy may be under a misapprehension in this matter because I understand the date of hearing of this case was the 11th March. There is provision at law for an appeal and until the time for an appeal has expired the matter would be considered sub judice and no inquiry could be made. I understand that after that time has expired the inspector has to make a report and that, further, an explanation has to be given by the teacher and the manager concerned before the matter is finally decided by the Department.
Was it not wrong of the Minister to say that inquiries had been instituted in reply to my first question? Should he not have made the reply he has made now? Should he not have given that reply then?
The Minister may be perfectly right. The preliminary inquiries through the inspector—which is the first step—possibly had been made when the Deputy got that reply.