Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 5

In page 7, between lines 22 and 23, to insert the following: "(b) Where a review is carried out, the Commission shall afford the candidate an opportunity to be heard.".

These amendments relate to where there is false information or wrongful communication. It is important that there be protections and very severe sanctions but we must be confident that, where the sanctions apply, the person deemed responsible is responsible. Given the significance of the consequences, whereby grades can be withheld, which has implications for the rest of a student’s life, his or her career and access to third level, it is only fair that the student accused would have the opportunity to have his or her version of events heard in any review and to put his or her case. I am not saying the student's version of events would necessarily be accepted but it is a question of him or her having the opportunity to be heard.

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