Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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262. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will clarify whether procedures for the use of section 28 of the Education Act 1998 have been issued; if there are plans to issue them; and whether the lack of such procedures is hampering the fair handling of grievances that may arise in a school setting. [25586/23]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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The grievance procedures provided for under Section 28 of the Education Act are being progressed through the Education (Student and Parent Charter) Bill. This Bill has passed all stages of Seanad Éireann and passed Second Stage in Dáil Éireann on 8th July 2021.

Officials in my Department are continuing to engage with stakeholders including the National Parents Council and the Office of the Ombudsman for Children on matters pertaining to the Bill in advance of the Bill progressing to Committee Stage in Dáil Éireann.

The Bill provides for all schools to have a Charter and for the Minister to issue guidelines, following consultation, in accordance with which every school’s Charter shall be prepared, published and implemented. The Bill sets out the key matters that the Minister must have regard to when preparing the charter guidelines.

The overall aim of the Charter Bill is to improve the level of engagement between the school community by inviting feedback, comment and observation from the school community and by further developing a listening culture in schools. One of the key concepts of the Bill is the need for a school to consult with students and their parents on individual school plans, policies and activities. This approach will help ensure that the various views of students and parents will be heard and responded to by schools on issues and policies.

In relation to grievances, the Bill is replacing the existing Section 28 of the Education Act, 1998 with a new Section 28 which, working with other provisions of the Bill, will ensure that all schools will be required to have and to implement standardised grievance procedures. The charter guidelines, which will be developed in consultation with education stakeholders, will set out the details of the grievance procedures and these will focus on dealing with complaints efficiently, effectively and, as far as possible, informally.

Schools currently have existing local grievance procedures which they follow when dealing with parental complaints.