Ms Joan Russell:

In addition to the selection process, it is very important to say that the ACCS and ETBI have come together to develop a competency-based interview for staff, which has very open and transparent process in terms of marking and feedback. Candidates who are unsuccessful get open feedback in respect of why they were not selected on that occasion. We were delighted to work with the ACSS on that and it is working particularly well for us.

In response to Deputy Daly, I would like to address the issue of consultation. In terms of the ETB sector, ETBI mirrors the organisational structure of ETBs. Each ETB has a director of schools who is responsible for consulting with school management, teachers, boards of management etc. in order to advise and guide the schools in terms of policy, curriculum and procedure. That is mirrored at ETBI level, with myself being the director of schools. I meet with the 16 directors of schools monthly. At last month's meeting, one of the items on the agenda was the proposal for an ombudsman for education. That predated our invitation to attend here today, but it was on the agenda. There was a robust discussion at that meeting between the 16 directors and we were asked to defer the matter to the next meeting for further consideration. There is engagement with this. That robust discussion will continue at the next directors' meeting, before we make a recommendation as directors, which will go forward to the chief executive, CE, forum, which will discuss it further and make a recommendation. We have had discussion, and we will follow on with more. I hope that clarifies the matter for Deputy Daly.

There is one other thing I would like to point out in terms of the ETB sector. I thank Deputies Daly and Byrne for their comments on ETBs and the ETB sector in terms of the openness and transparency but I would also like to highlight the creativity, inclusiveness and openness to change which is very evident in our schools. A number of colleagues have already referred to the fact that much of what is proposed in the charter is already in place. Mr. Mulconry put it very eloquently this afternoon. I agree, it is happening. Some of our colleagues also called for a forum of partners to have an input into the development of the guidelines. I will go one step further. While I welcome that call and Senator Gallagher's comment on it, I ask that a mapping exercise be carried out to capture what is happening on the ground in terms of best practice, with regard to the excellent, creative and inclusive practices to engage parents and students.

Excellent things are happening on the ground in the schools. As management bodies, we are not always aware of it. Much of it evidenced at Féilte, which is the celebration of all that is good in teaching which the Teaching Council organises. There are numerous examples of best practice and I would like to highlight one or two from the ETB sector. One is a forum for parents, which has been established in one particular ETB - the Kerry ETB. It is currently being mirrored and we are looking at it across all ETBs. There is a forum for parents across all of the schools under the Kerry ETB. It comes together and has robust discussions with the executive of the ETB and so on.

I want to highlight one or two of the achievements of that forum of 26 parents representing all of the students and parents in Kerry ETB. It has introduced Project Maths training for parents. It has provided applied maths across the scheme through webinar. That is innovative stuff from the parents and it is being facilitated through the ETB sector. It is something that can be mirrored, as I said, not just at post-primary level, but equally at primary level through our community and national school system. We look forward to continuing with that. One of the things we do at our forum director meeting every month is to share best practice across the sector.

Another thing that is happening in the schools is, in addition to the student council, we have what are called house systems, where students are grouped together in houses. They are then given merits. It is a competition between the houses, where they are given merits for things like being involved in the school community and the local community, engaging in their classrooms, achieving a holistic education and engaging broadly with education. They are given merits on that system and an award is given at the end of the year. My colleague, Mr. Rowe, referred to restorative justice earlier. Again, restorative justice is very evident in our schools. A number of our ETBs, Limerick, Clare, Donegal, Kerry and Cork, have engaged in the whole restorative justice training for staff, parents and students. A lot is happening and my message to the committee is to make sure that the schools on the ground have an opportunity to engage and to put forward what they are doing which could support the charter in its development through the different stages.