Michael Lowry (Tipperary North, Independent)
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Question 546: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if action will be taken against websites (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21009/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I have stated on a number of occasions that I believe that placing comments about teachers on the Internet is extremely unfair. Every student would complain if his or her teacher went on a website and put up his or her report or went to the local supermarket and stuck it on the notice board. No teacher would do that to a student and, therefore, it is not appropriate for a student to do it to a teacher. Not all the comments on the website are negative — a significant proportion of them are positive. Nonetheless, it is not appropriate for an individual in any profession to have his or her work commented upon on the Internet by anonymous commentators. The worldwide web is international and my Department has no means available to it to shut down this site.