Catherine Byrne (Dublin South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I will relay all of the Senator's frustration and concerns and will outline the seriousness of some of the cases he has raised. I believe, however, that the reply states clearly that there is a process in place and, from my limited experience of the education system and boards of management, I am conscious that people have to make a complaint and it has to be dealt with in the school. Nobody wants to go back to the days when young children, with or without a disability, were punished for different reasons, whether by restraint or being locked in rooms. As a Member and as a parent and grandparent, it is not appropriate that any child should experience restraint in school. I will relay in a clear message the frustration and concerns raised by the Senator and bring them to the attention of the Minister for Education and Skills on my way back to the Dáil.