Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

It is important that in any incident that pertains to a school that each school is given the time and space to address the situation as it arises and to make a determination. My Department has already engaged with the school and it will continue to engage with it. A report will be furnished to me once that engagement is concluded. The engagement is in the first instance with the board of management, which has responsibility for the day-to-day running of the school. Deputy Barry will be aware that the board has autonomy in the running of the school. As I outlined to the Deputy, the Department primarily has control over the policy and funding of a school, and in particular instances where an individual complaint involves refused enrolment and expulsion or suspension. In terms of the current report, the initial engagement with the school involves a determination of what occurred, how it occurred, who was involved and who was impacted. When the report is available to me, I will study it in due course.

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