Charlie McConalogue (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the procedures that were followed in relation to the appointment of a principal to the staff of a school (details supplied) in County Kildare; if he will detail the background to and purpose of this initiative, if he was directly involved in the process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43913/12]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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The appointment of the person to whom the Deputy refers followed a disciplinary process initiated against that person by the board of management of a community school. The board of management of a community school, as is the case generally in schools, is the employer and therefore the Minister is not involved in any disciplinary process that a board initiates. There was no outcome to that disciplinary process because it was rendered moot by an agreement entered into between the person in question and the board of management. That agreement was reached in the context of High Court proceedings taken by that person against the school. In the context of those discussions, my Department arranged for the person concerned to be assigned to Co. Kildare VEC as a teacher where, for the remainder of the current school year (i.e. the 2012-13 school year), he will carry out principal duties in the school to which the Deputy refers, arising from a vacancy in the post of principal in that school. My Department had separately indicated to the VEC that the filling of the vacancy through permanent recruitment should not apply pending the completion of an analysis of how the future education needs of the area would be planned for and met.