Mr. Noel Kelly:

Not really. We are stating that what is happening is a suspension but we want to find out if this is happening. I am hoping that once we have raised awareness of this issue, the practice will cease or will only continue, as we have all suggested, in cases where it is appropriate to support the child.

Again, we will ask for information about whether it has been sanctioned and about the plan.

On the collecting of data and the availability of home tuition, more information needs to be shared. I fully support the Department but it cannot issue home tuition to somebody on a reduced timetable because the school is the provider of education for those children and, technically, they attend school.

To respond to the question on suspensions and give a sense of the data, our records for the past ten years show that approximately 0.3% and 3.8% of primary and post-primary school pupils, respectively, are suspended every year. A question was asked about students with special educational needs. We collect data on the special schools, where the rate of suspension and expulsion is far higher. While the population of special schools constitutes only 1.4% of the student population, they account for 28% and 22% of primary school expulsions and suspensions, respectively. There is evidence to suggest that suspensions and expulsions are more common in the case of children with special needs. As a result, the support aspect we discussed needs to be considered in that regard.

I hope I have addressed all the questions I was asked.