Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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Question 231: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if, due to the new primary school staffing schedules, a school is reduced to a staffing complement of one, and if there is no other support staff in that school, he will outline the implications, if any, in relation to the implementation of child protection protocols; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16757/12]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Last Autumn, my Department published updated "Child Protection Procedures for Primary and Post-Primary Schools". These procedures are based on the recently published "Children First – National Guidance for the Protection and Welfare of Children 2011" and apply to all primary and post-primary schools, irrespective of size.

The new procedures incorporate significant improvements to the previous school guidelines and are intended to better ensure consistent and uniform implementation of Children First across all schools. The improvements include a new template child protection policy, a requirement that all primary schools fully implement the Stay Safe programme and also put in place improved oversight arrangements at Board of Management level.