Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)

The period of that extension may not exceed 14 days. There would be no question of continuing it. That is to protect everybody, which is fair enough because we must ensure a child is not too long out of school in the event that he or she must return to it.

The appeals board comprises the most eminent people who have vast experience in education. We are conscious that people involved in appeals such as this would have the necessary experience. I assure Senator Ulick Burke that as with all appointments which I have made and which have been recognised in the other House by Fine Gael as being of persons of eminence, we would ensure people on appeals boards such as this would ensure they balance the rights.

The core of this amending legislation is the introduction of criteria which bring a balance into the considerations appeals boards must undertake and which they have not had to date. I genuinely fear Senator Ulick Burke would shift the balance from what people believe is in favour of the individual towards the school and would not reflect what is happening. I know they believe these particular considerations that must be taken into account by the appeals board balance the right of that individual and the right of the school. It puts it up to the school to ensure it has such policies, and these are clearly enunciated and the parents and students are well aware of them, but the school must do that anyway under the legislation. That is part of good administration. It will lead to better running of the school, but it also protects the individual child and his or her family by giving time to ensure the child gets an education. In the past people might have felt it was weighted against the school, but this at least helps an appeals board to be able to state the matters it must consider, and it is fair and open. For that reason, I do not propose to accept the amendments.