Michael Colreavy (Sligo-North Leitrim, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I do not normally attend the committee, but I am deputising for Deputy O'Brien. I compliment boards of management. It is great that people volunteer their time. The boards work very hard and have a great responsibility on their shoulders in what they do on behalf of their communities. Like Deputy Daly, I have received a number of complaints about boards of management, albeit not a large number. The consequences of the structure or policies governing boards of management can be profound for students and parents. I give an example. A young lad in his first year of secondary school was accused by a school principal in front of the school population of engaging in bullying behaviour. CCTV proved subsequently that he had no hand, act or part in it but I understand that the principal refused to apologise to the child in front of the school population. The young lad was profoundly psychologically damaged by it.