Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)

It is not a teachers' union or a managers' representative body. However, it has to uphold the constitutional right of young people to an education. I share that duty as Minister for Education and Science. Each three-person board will include an inspector who has an overview of schools through visiting them regularly and who will have an understanding of the situation. The other two independent people will have the knowledge and experience they need to make valuable contributions to the appeals board.

In regard to the VEC mentioned by the Senator, I have been legally advised that the admittedly erroneous advice offered by the appeals administration unit about the requirement for the VEC to issue its findings within 30 days was not given as a reason by the section 29 appeals committee for upholding the appeal. The days issue related only to the timing of issuing the information.