Ivana Bacik (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I listened with interest to the debate and was not going to participate until Senator Barrett referred to the issues Senator Power has addressed in her amendments.

The relevant provision does not punish a parent whose child has been excluded, it is there to prolong his or her membership of the board. Where he or she ceases to have a child under the age of 18 registered as a student by reason of exclusion, the person does not cease to be a member of the board until the time for an appeal has expired. It has the opposite effect to Senator Barrett's reading of the Bill, in that it prolongs the membership of the board for that person. It is an interesting debate and I welcome the Minister's remarks on returning to this on Report Stage because it raises the question of method of election that Senator Moran and I address in amendment No. 4.