School Management

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 13 June 2019

Thursday, 13 June 2019

Ceisteanna (89)

Michael Fitzmaurice

Ceist:

89. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Questions Nos. 222 of 29 January 2019 and 253 of 19 February 2019, the reason a board of management member may cease to be a member of the board at the decision or discretion of the patron, which is not provided for in section 16 of the Education Act 1998 and-or in the governance manual for primary schools 2015 to 2019 in section 7; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24713/19]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Education and Skills

The Governance Manual for Primary Schools 2015 - 2019 sets out the circumstances in which Board members may be removed or membership of a board of management shall cease.

Section 16 of the Education Act, 1998, provides that a patron may, with the consent of the Minister, for good and valid reasons stated in writing to a member of a board of management remove that member from that office, or if satisfied that the functions of a board are not being effectively discharged, dissolve that board.

As Minister I have no function within Section 16 until such time as the Patron seeks my consent under Section 16. As outlined in previous replies of 29 January and 19 February, whilst I have a statutory role as Minister regarding the removal of a member of a Board, I have no statutory role in respect of members who cease to be members of Boards for varied reasons.