Joe McHugh (Donegal, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

It was a very welcome intervention that I could not forget. It was an important intervention as well because the Senator was specifically talking about the voice of the student. That is something I am extremely interested in and I was part of the formation of Donegal Youth Council a long time ago back in 2000. It is really important to get the voice of the student right.

I did a wee bit of background checking on this and I do not have any evidence that even over the last two decades there has been any significant issue of boards being dissolved by schools or anything like that. I am confident the specific reference in the Bill to a "student council (where one has been established)" is simply reflecting the fact that primary schools may not have a student council. When no student council has been established the Bill still provides for consultation with the student body. I specifically refer to section 27B(1) of the Bill, which deals with the process where a school should prepare its student and parent charter.

The key focus of this legislation is on schools informing students, consulting with students and responding to feedback from student and school plans, policies and activities. This is specifically reflected in the large number of provisions in the Bill. I am confident the provisions in the Bill will allow that student voice to be heard. The big part of it is the fact the students will be working with the boards of management. Where schools do not have a student council, they will work along the guidelines. As somebody who shares the Senator's strong opinions on advocacy of the student's voice, I am confident the provisions in the Bill would do enough in themselves. It is not necessary to put anything further in there to strengthen it. That is why I will unfortunately not be accepting amendment No. 15.