Dominic Hannigan (Meath East, Labour)
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Question 36: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his policy regarding parents signing written consent that allows teachers, special needs assistants, language resource teachers or staff employed at the school to administer medicine to their pupils during the school day; if there are different policies for different types of schools; if the principal has discretion at an individual school level to set policy on the issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12142/11]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Under the provisions of the Education Act 1998 the Board of Management is the body charged with the direct governance of a school.

It is important that the school management authority requests parents to ensure that the school is made aware of any medical condition suffered by any pupil attending. Where the school is aware of potential difficulties that may arise as a consequence of a medical condition suffered by one or more pupils, it may be possible for the management authorities, working in conjunction with the parents, teachers and children, to put preventative measures in place to lessen the possibility of any difficulties arising or to ensure that, if a pupil suffers from an illness requiring medication, that appropriate treatment is available.

As the Deputy may be aware, the administration of medicines in primary schools is the subject of an agreement between the Irish National Teachers Organisation and the organisations representing school management at primary level. While this agreement specifies that no teacher can be required to administer medicine or drugs to pupils, it also sets out procedures that must be followed where a teacher or teachers agree to do so. The position is that either the parents of the child should make themselves available to administer medication as required or where they wish the staff in the school to administer it they should indemnify the school.

It is my Department's experience that once the matter has been discussed in detail with the Board of Management and teachers of a school, and once all parties are clear as to the procedures to be followed, arrangements can normally be made to administer the type of medicine which may be required.