LEGISLATION to remove the voting majority enjoyed by the churches on primary school boards is to be introduced next July, the Minister for Education has said.
The legislation, which will force schools to establish a board - if they don't already have one - gives parents a statutory entitlement to be represented on the boards of 4,000 schools for the first time. The heads of the Bill have already been drafted and are being circulated to Government departments for their observations.
At primary level, the board will consist of two nominees of the patron, two parents, one staff member and the principal, who is ex officio. This "core board" will then co opt two members from the wider community.
No agreement has been reached between the various interests on the boards of second level schools, but the legislation will outline the general principles of representation for the various parties, as well as insisting that a board must be established.
The same piece of legislation will also deal with the setting up of the proposed 10 regional education boards, which will take over much of the day to day administration of schools currently carried out by the Department of Education.
Before Christmas, the Minister appointed a commission to decide how many of the VECs should be rationalised or amalgamated. This is scheduled to report back by the end of May, after which the new boards will be set up.
The boards legislation is one of four Bills currently being prepared by the Department of Education,
Ms Breathnach said yesterday. The other pieces of legislation cover university governance; school attendance; and youth services.
The Minister also said the Department intends to open an information office for the public at its headquarters in Marlborough Street in Dublin. This will provide parents, students and teachers with information on the services it provides.
