Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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94. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if complaints received directly by him from a parent or a pupil of grievous bodily harm in a school setting are dealt with by him; if not, if they are only dealt with in cases in which the complaint is referred by the board of management of the school; his views on whether this is acceptable in view of the serious nature of the matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27273/18]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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Statutory responsibility for child protection lies with the Child and Family Agency.

My Department has no role in assessing or investigating allegations of harm against children, or any other child protection concerns. Its role is to refer any allegations it receives to the appropriate authorities and to do so without making judgment on same.

Whereas my Department provides funding and policy direction for schools, my Department does not have the power to instruct schools to follow a particular course of action with regard to allegations or other complaints. In dealing with complaints, the Department's role is to provide advice to parents and students on the operation of schools' complaints procedures and to clarify for parents and pupils how grievances and complaints against schools can be progressed.

If the Deputy, or any other person, has a child protection concern regarding a school it should be reported to the Child and Family Agency.

The Deputy will appreciate that I cannot comment on individual cases.