Education (Amendment) (Protection Of Schools) Bill 2012

Public bill · Private Member · Introduced

The proposal would protect schools that are the only providers for particular local, cultural, religious or non-denominational communities, as well as schools in Gaeltacht areas and offshore islands. It would require school attendance and staffing decisions to consider longer-term population trends rather than a single year’s enrolment, prevent funding or staffing changes from forcing otherwise viable schools to close, and stop teachers from continually teaching more than four grade levels at once. It would also require the Education Minister to take children’s educational rights under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child into account.

Formal long title

Bill entitled an Act to provide, for the protection of schools which are the exclusive providers of education for geographical, cultural, religious or non-denominational communities; for the protection of schools which are the providers of education for Gaeltacht areas; for the protection of schools which are the providers of education for offshore islands; for the strengthening of teachers' and students' rights with regard to multi-grade teaching arrangements; for the enshrinement in law of the educational rights of the child as set out in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child; for the amendment of sections 7, 10, 12, 24 and 30 of the Education Act 1998; and to provide for related matters

Last updated 12 April 2018