Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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721. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will intervene in a situation involving a school in County Kilkenny to resolve a lengthy dispute between the parents of a child (details supplied) and the board of management of that school; the best method of resolving this dispute; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14620/15]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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The Deputy will be aware that under the Education Act 1998, legally all schools are managed by school Boards of Management, on behalf of the school patrons or trustees. Accordingly, whereas I provide funding and policy direction for schools, neither I nor the Department have legal powers to instruct schools to follow a particular course of direction with regards to individual complaint cases, or to investigate individual complaints except where the complaint involves a refused enrolment, expulsion or suspension, in accordance with Section 29 of the 1998 Education Act.

In dealing with parental complaints, my Department's role is to clarify for parents how their grievances and complaints against schools can be progressed. Where a parent feels that the school's board of management has failed to investigate or adequately investigate their complaint, they should contact the Ombudsman for Children.

The Office of the Ombudsman for Children may independently investigate complaints about schools recognised with the Department of Education and Skills, provided the parent has firstly and fully followed the school's complaints procedures. The key criterion for any intervention by the Ombudsman for Children is that the action of the school has had a negative affect on a child. The office can be contacted at Ombudsman for Children's Office, Millennium House, 52-56 Great Strand Street, Dublin 1, (Ph) 1800 20 20 40 or (01) 8656800, E-mail oco@oco.ie

The Deputy may be aware that I plan to provide in law for a Parent and Student Charter. Providing parents with the rationale for any decision is important. If schools help parents to understand the basis for a decision parents are more likely to accept the fairness of decisions.

This charter may be underpinned by legislation if necessary. I believe there is a need to look at how a stronger culture of valuing parental involvement at the level of each individual school can be created.