A High Court judge will today visit a schoolyard attached to a primary school in Clondalkin, Dublin, where a schoolgirl has alleged she was bullied by fellow pupils.
Mr Justice Johnson said yesterday he will visit Scoil Nano Nagle, the school at the centre of the case which has been at hearing for seven days in the High Court.
The judge's visit comes after legal submissions in the case by Nicola Mulvey concluded yesterday. Judgment has been reserved.
The case opened late last year and was adjourned to yesterday when it concluded with final submissions from both sides.
Nicola, now aged 10, is suing by her mother, Ms Margaret Mulvey, Ashwood Avenue. She claims she was bullied while she was in junior infants at Scoil Nano Nagle in 1997/98.
Evidence was given by Ms Mulvey earlier in the case that she had stood in a concealed position opposite the schoolyard where she claimed she witnessed bullying taking place.
In the action, it is claimed Nicola had to be hospitalised for some days after one alleged bullying incident in which she was kicked in the stomach in the schoolyard.
She has also alleged a number of incidents occurred during September, October and November of 1997 in which she was hit over the head with a crayon bowl, pushed against a railing and pushed off a bench in the schoolyard. A gang of about seven girls were involved, it was alleged.
The defence has denied the claims. A former acting principal at the school from March 1996 to December 1997, Ms Mary Mullarkey, told the court there was a huge awareness at the school of bullying and the need to counter and prevent it. Measures had been drawn up to deal with the subject, she said.
Yesterday, Mr Patrick Keane SC, for Nicola, said they had called expert evidence to show there was a classic pattern of bullying which started with minor events and went on to much more serious ones. It would start with verbal abuse and, if there was not sufficient intervention, would go on to physical abuse. Evidence had been given that when the perpetrators could get away with it, the bullying would escalate.
Mr Keane said the impression was given that all was peace and quiet in the playground. However, the incident book for the school showed there was mayhem going on there, he argued.
Counsel said his side had also given evidence that, if guidelines were followed, bullying would stop. He submitted it had not been dealt with effectively in this case.
It was inappropriate to suggest that the child should be moved to another class and to go home for lunch, he added.
Closing the case for the school, Mr Finbar Fox SC said it was "remarkable collective blindness" for not one of the teachers in the schoolyard to be aware of the alleged incidents and for them all to miss what was going on there. On the incident where Nicola was brought to hospital, Mr Fox said there were no hospital reports to say she was covered in bruising as alleged.