Hanafin: School punishments must be proportionate

Minister for Education Mary Hanafin has said punishments meted out for breaching school rules must be proportionate to the breach committed by the student.

Ms Hanafin was responding to the controversy surrounding Tullamore College in Co Offaly, where three teenagers with short haircuts have been banned from sitting their Junior Cert exams.

The schoolboys were told on Wednesday that they would only be allowed to sit the first exam and would not be welcome after that.

The headmaster of Tullamore College said they breached school rules by getting blade-one haircuts.

Parents and youth organisations have slammed the headmaster's actions and there have been suggestions that the case may be referred to the Children's Ombudsman.

Asked about the matter by reporters in Dublin today, Ms Hanafin refused to comment on the case in question, but appeared to criticise the way it has been handled by Tullamore College.

"Where rules are set down, they should be given to the parents and to the students in advance and should be agreed with them," she said.

"Then, where they're broken, the sanction should be proportionate to the actual breach of the rules and it's really very important that it shouldn't interfere with the calm atmosphere of the exams."