Calls for clear child protection guidelines
However, teachers and the Department of Education believe sufficient protections are in place in schools to ensure that children are not placed at risk of possible abuse.
Labour education spokeswoman Jan O’Sullivan said a recently highlighted case suggests that clearer guidelines are needed for the Department of Education, school boards and health boards to deal with child sex abuse allegations in schools.
“There are no appropriate structures and procedures to deal with cases of abuse in Irish schools. Given the revelations in the Ferns Report, children’s safety must be the absolute priority,” she said.
“Where serious allegations are made that demand thorough investigation, the interests of children should be prioritised above those of the adult. This may sound unfair, but we must ensure not to expose any more children to the threat of sex abuse in Irish schools, be it from teacher, principal, or general staff,” she said.
The Irish National Teachers’ Organisation (INTO) said there are clear structures in place in the Department of Education’s Children First guidelines. They detail the procedures to be followed by school boards where an allegation of abuse is made against an employee.
“The most important consideration is the protection and safety of children. However, a board also has duties to employees and must, therefore, have due regard to the rights and interests of children and employees,” said INTO general secretary John Carr.
Under the guidelines, any protective measures taken by the chair of the board should be proportionate to the level of risk, but a staff member should be told to take administrative leave from school where the allegation warrants it and the health authorities or gardaí should be consulted where necessary.
The Department of Education said investigations in relation to allegations made about a school employee are a matter for the school authorities in the first instance, and child protection guidelines for second-level schools were updated last year.
However, the department insists the person being investigated should not have access to children while the investigation is taking place.
