Joe McHugh (Donegal, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

On Committee Stage, Senator Craughwell tabled an amendment which proposed to make explicit reference to teachers in section 27C(c), in order to make clear that the provision was referring to mutual respect and communication between teachers, students and parents. While I could not accept the amendment as worded on Committee Stage, I outlined at the time that I was open to making such a provision and my officials have since engaged on the matter with legislative drafters. As a result, I am pleased to bring forward this amendment, which ensures that section 27C will now make explicit reference to teachers. The provision, when amended, will refer to "mutual respect in communications between the school, including teachers or other staff of the school, on the one hand and students or their parents on the other hand". The majority of day-to-day communications in a school are between teachers or other school staff and students or their parents, and I am happy to make explicit reference to this in the Bill. It is appropriate that the amendment refers to other staff in the school. Everyone in this House will agree with me about each individual's role and contribution to school life. I have taken the opportunity to ensure this explicit reference to teachers and other staff also applies in subsection (d), which concerns confidentiality in communications between schools and students and their parents. I thank the Senator for raising this issue on Committee Stage and I hope he and the House can support my amendment.