Children's Ombudsman recommends fitness to teach hearings for teachers

Teachers could lose their licence to practice if found guilty of misconduct.

It is a recommendation made by the Children's Ombudsman who says that fitness to teach hearings should be introduced immediately.

Teachers can already be fired for misconduct but these hearings would add further punishments.

Senator and former TUI President Gerard Craughwell says that the inquiries could feature public hearings which could damage the reputations of teachers and provide little benefit.

He said: "It's my view, and it's the view I believe of the unions involved that before any case would get into a public hearing there should be all of the steps taken.

"We are going through this mad thing in this country where everything has to be open and transparent from a Government that is anything but open and transparent."