Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I understand the objective of what the Deputy is seeking to achieve. However, I consider it to be unnecessary at this time. The existing suite of provisions for ongoing oversight of the implementation of the Teaching Council Act and operations of the Teaching Council are comprehensive. The main purposes of the Bill under consideration are to underpin the Teaching Council's statutory functions in regard to Garda vetting of teachers, to strengthen and clarify the council's teaching arrangements and to make consequential amendments. The additional provisions in this Bill have been carefully considered and drafted. Therefore, I do not consider the proposal necessary.

The Teaching Council appears before this committee. What we are doing by way of this Bill is amending the original legislation upon which the council is based. The Teaching Council also publishes an annual report. There are opportunities to follow through on these issues in a variety of ways, including by this committee. All legislation needs to be kept under review in case something is not working in accordance with the intention during its passage. This is amending legislation and as such a review of it in two years time might not be the most practical way of doing things.