asked the Minister for Education if elections for parent members of primary school management boards will be held this year; and if so, if he will give the date.
Ceisteanna—Questions . Oral Answers . - Primary School Management Boards .
14.
: Since the term of office of a board of management of a national school runs for three years from the date of appointment, those boards which were appointed in October 1975 fall due to be re-established in October of this year. The election of parent representatives should take place, therefore, in October next.
: Can the Minister give the House an assurance that every parent of a child at primary school will be given an opportunity to vote in these elections? Will the Minister ensure that appropriate procedures are followed to enable every parent to have this chance?
: Every parent of a child at primary school has a vote in these elections.
: Is the Minister not aware that occasionally these elections are carried out at public meetings to which all parents may not have been invited because they may not have received notification? Will the Minister ensure that there is a written ballot?
: If the Deputy knows of any cases where parents have not been invited to participate I would be glad if he would let me know of them. In some cases at post primary level there has been poor voting participation, despite the fact that the person in charge of the elections in each case made sure that all parents knew the elections were about to take place.
: It would not be of any use to bring such cases to the attention of the Minister because at that stage the elections would have already taken place. Will the Minister introduce appropriate procedures to ensure that every parent is individually notified in advance of when and how the election are to take place?
: My understanding of the obligations of the board of management is that every parent should be so informed of the elections.
: Would the Minister encourage in the election of such boards that there be a ballot which is not open to the pressure which could take place at the public meeting type of election? Will the Minister encourage a secret ballot where a sufficient number of parents wish it?
: I am in favour of that.
: Will the Minister communicate that to the schools which have these elections?
: The fact that the question has been raised in the House and my statement on it should be sufficient publicity for it.
: If the Minister agrees with this he should make sure that the schools are informed. It should not be left to the chance that the exchange in this House might percolate to the school boards.
: I would remind the Deputy that Deputy Horgan merely asked if elections would be held and the date of them. We are now dealing with the manner and procedure.
: I am a little perturbed that the Deputy does not seem to have confidence in the boards of management. It seems a bit ridiculous that on the one hand I am encouraged to give authority away from the centre and on the other that doubts are being expressed as to whether the power is being properly used or as to whether the elections are being conducted properly. I would be glad of any information in relation to schools where the procedures were not above suspicion and I will take action accordingly.
: Is there any information available in the Minister's Department about the method or methods employed by the schools which carried out elections three years ago? Is there any information available as to how many schools adopted what kind of method? Would the Minister consider carrying out some kind of survey on this matter?
: To my own knowledge a number of boards of management were elected by universal parent suffrage.
: They are rubber stamps only.
: I hope not; they were not designed as such.