Vol. 567 No. 1
259 Mr. Healy asked the Minister for Education and Science if, in view of the imminent industrial action being forced on teachers at St. Joseph's school, Ferryhouse, Clonmel, he will arrange for the appointment of a teacher to the board of management at the school; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13777/03]
St. Joseph's school, Ferryhouse, Clonmel, is one of the five children detention schools operating under the aegis of my Department. These schools provide residential accommodation for children under 16 years of age who have been convicted of an offence or remanded in custody by the courts. These schools are currently governed by the terms of the Children Act 1908 which will be replaced by the Children Act 2001 when the provisions of the latter Act are commenced.
Following the transfer of the ownership of the school from the Rosminian Order to my Department, a new board of management was established in June 2002 for the purpose of managing the school on my Department's behalf. The board was established on the basis of the board structure as envisaged in section 167 of the Children Act 2001. This section provides for the board of management to comprise a chairperson and 12 other members, including two members of the staff of the school. The Children Act 2001 does not guarantee any particular staff group representation on the board of management of the children detention schools.
