Brian O'Shea (Waterford, Labour)
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Question 73: To ask the Minister for Education and Science further to Parliamentary Question No. 21 of 26 February 2009, if he will request his Department's inspectors to pay an individual visit to each of the 120 primary schools within the Diocese of Cloyne, which serve approximately 18,000 pupils, to ensure that the board of management of each school is complying with all necessary requirements to ensure that adequate child protection procedures are in place, in view of the failure of a person (details supplied) to satisfactorily report incidents of child sexual abuse by persons under their authority; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12243/09]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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The primary statutory responsibility for child protection lies with the Health Services Executive. The role of my Department is to provide guidance and support to schools in implementing child protection policy and to refer any allegations received to the appropriate authorities for investigation.

I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department has issued child protection guidelines and procedures to all schools. The guidelines are based on Children First — the Department of Health and Children's national guidelines for the protection and welfare of children. The Children First guidelines make very clear the reporting and investigation mechanisms to be followed in cases of suspected child abuse wherever they occur, and the lead role of the HSE. The guidelines for schools require each board of management to designate a senior member of staff, normally the principal, as the Designated Liaison Person (DLP) for the school. The DLP acts as a liaison person with the health authorities and other agencies on child protection issues and as a resource person to any staff member who has concerns in this regard.

The Department has provided and continues to provide in-service training for Designated Liaison Persons and Deputy Designated Liaison Persons to assist them in dealing with child protection issues. In addition, the Department facilitates training for boards of management, parent education and also provides training at Pre-Service level if requested to do so by the colleges of education.

The Deputy will be aware that as part of the Whole School Evaluation process in individual schools, my Department's Inspectorate routinely checks that Child Protection Policies are in place and that a Designated Liaison Person has been appointed. I have no plans to request the Inspectorate to visit each school in that diocese for the purpose suggested by the Deputy.