Schools will retain the right to expel pupils if "good order and discipline" are threatened, following the Government's decision to amend a Bill currently before the Oireachtas.
Under the original version of the Education (Welfare) Bill, schools would be allowed expel pupils only if another school agreed to take them. However, a Government amendment deletes this provision and reaffirms a school's right to expel when overall discipline and student safety are threatened.
Teachers and school managements were deeply unhappy with the original proposal and yesterday welcomed the amendment proposed by the Minister for Education and Science, Dr Woods.
The Bill is due to go before the Joint Committee on Education and Science next Tuesday and as the amendment is sponsored by the Government, it is likely to be passed.
Instead of schools having to ensure that arrangements are in place for an expelled pupil, it will be the responsibility of education welfare officers, whose positions will be created under the Bill. These officers will be employed by a National Educational Welfare Board and, according to the Bill, will "make all reasonable efforts to have the child enrolled in another recognised school".
If this is not possible, they shall make alternative arrangements to ensure the child gets an education.
The deputy general secretary of the Association of Secondary Teachers in Ireland, Mr John White, said he welcomed the amendment because the original draft placed "heavy restrictions" on schools in relation to expulsion.
"The previous version would have hindered and inhibited schools from taking whatever actions are necessary to keep good order in schools," Mr White said. It could have resulted in schools having to retain pupils who were a danger to teachers and other students for a long period.
Mr Gearoid Maoilmhichil, spokesman for the National Youth Federation, claimed however that the Government's amendment would "erode" the Bill's impact and let schools abdicate their responsibilities towards pupils.
The measure stipulates that when a school's board of management decides to expel a pupil the board must inform the education welfare officer of the reasons for the decision.
The overall aim of the measure is to ensure that children attend school and get at least a minimum education. This is the reason for the emphasis on getting another school for the pupil.
The other important change, if the Bill is passed, is that the school-leaving age will rise from 15 to 16 years. Another provision is that employers are prohibited from employing children during the school day if the employment is likely to interfere with a child's ability to receive a minimum education.