Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

As I understand the existing law, the Department does not have the power to instruct schools to follow a particular course of action in regard to individual complaint cases. The Deputy is referring to a gap where there is no appeals mechanism beyond the board of management. How to structure it is a matter that we will have to tease out in committee to see where such a role should fall, how an ombudsman would work and how his or her recommendations would be implemented thereafter. I recognise the sincerity of the Deputy's concern and it is certainly something to which I will give priority attention in the Department.

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