Dáil debates

Wednesday, 7 March 2007

Education (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2007: Report and Final Stages

 

6:00 pm

Photo of Jan O'SullivanJan O'Sullivan (Limerick East, Labour)

I move amendment No. 15:

In page 7, between lines 40 and 41, to insert the following:

"(a) in section 24(4), by inserting after "officer",", but the board of the school may if it considers that the circumstances underlying the proposal to expel the student so warrant, forthwith suspend the student without further notice for the period between notification of the educational welfare officer and the carrying out of the expulsion".".

There is a 20 day period in which the student cannot be expelled. That may create difficulty for a school where a very serious incident has occurred — for example, where a teacher or another student has been assaulted. It is difficult to consider that a school would have to keep the student in the school for that 20 day period. In some ways this may seem very harsh but I am talking about the extreme situation where the behaviour is violent and perhaps unlawful and about the difficulties for the school in that situation. There may be difficulties for the student who has been assaulted attending school if the individual who assaulted him or her is still in the school.

The Minister indicated other measures can be taken. However, I have resubmitted the amendment to ensure the other measures which can be taken are appropriate in terms of protecting the school in those extreme situations.

Comments

No comments

Log in or join to post a public comment.