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Dáil
‹ Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation

Templeogue College concerns

Summary

Deputy Murphy raised serious allegations about Templeogue College, including toxic culture, homophobia, and issues around the Pride flag and management changes. The Chair halted the naming of an identifiable individual, and the Taoiseach said the Minister for Education would respond.

I want to raise with the Taoiseach the case of Templeogue College, which I have raised with him before, where a majority of staff have said that there is a toxic culture and atmosphere. There was a collective grievance filed by 24 members of staff against the conduct of the principal, citing a culture of homophobia and non-inclusivity propagated at the school.

Comment on this

No Deputy, it is not in order to start talking here about an identifiable individual.

Comment on this

I have raised this case before.

Comment on this

Not in my presence, and you are not going to raise it now either because we are not going to use this Chamber to attack somebody outside the House who is not in a position to defend themselves.

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This is all documented. There was a whole-school evaluation report.

Comment on this

No Deputy, it is not in order.

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Okay, I will not mention anyone again. One example of this was the fact that the Pride flag was removed due to apparent "misalignment with 'Spiritan Ethos' and not 'supporting certain lifestyles'". That is only the tip of the iceberg in terms of the range of issues that have been exposed here and are documented by the Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland, ASTI. There was a whole-school evaluation report during the first half of this year but nothing fundamental has changed. The board of management was dissolved and replaced by a single manager. The single manager was involved in the appointment of the principal in the first case. Will the Department of Education take action to ensure that we have an appropriate working, learning and teaching environment in this school?

Comment on this
Leo Varadkar The Taoiseach Fine Gael

I will ask the Minister for Education, Deputy Norma Foley, to come back to the Deputy with a reply.

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