I propose to take Questions Nos. 248 and 249 together.
The current school complaint procedures differ across sectors and schools and were agreed between relevant management bodies and staff unions. I can confirm that my department was not involved in the development of the Parental Complaint Procedures for Primary Schools.
The Education (Student and Parent Charter) Bill, which has been passed by the Seanad and is currently progressing through the Dáil, provides for school complaints procedures to be set out in the Charter Guidelines.
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 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.
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 complaints procedures. The charter guidelines, which will be developed in consultation with education stakeholders, will set out the details of the complaints procedures and these will focus on dealing with complaints efficiently, effectively and, as far as possible, informally.
The overall approach in the Bill is to move away from reacting to problems in schools after they arise, to an early intervention approach which aims to improve the day-to-day experience students, and their parents can expect from schools.
My department has been engaging with the education partners on the development of the new complaints procedures under the Charter Guidelines.
