Seanad debates

Tuesday, 26 March 2013

Education and Training Boards Bill 2012: Committee Stage

 

4:30 pm

Photo of Ruairi QuinnRuairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour) | Oireachtas source

Responding specifically to Senator Wilson about the current elections for parents, while I support the principle behind his contribution, the reality of practice and experience on the ground is the opposite. Current procedures to identify and elect parents are cumbersome and expensive, involving communication with approximately 150,000 people. The experience to date has been that turnout is as low as 1% in some VECs. We should accept as democrats that we want to underpin the principle but can we collectively find a way to make this work?

Since this will be raised on Report Stage, I am open to exchanging draft amendments because we only get one bite of the cherry when we come back next time. I want parents to have a clear voice but they should be relevant to the experience of the children as they go through the five years. We must find a filter system for candidates and a democratically accountable system for the election of the candidates. It is a two-tiered process but I am open to discussion on this. When we achieve consensus we will bring it into the House on Report Stage and dispose of it and I will deal with it in the other House. This is an opportunity in primary legislation that will not come our way again.

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