Rules

Functions of the board

• Act in accordance with Ministerial policy
• Uphold the ethos of the school and be accountable to the patron for this.    The word ethos is not used in the Education Act 1998. It is    described in the Act as the 'characteristic spirit of the school as    determined by the cultural, educational, moral, religious, social,    linguistic and spiritual values and traditions which inform and are    characteristic of the objectives and conduct of the school'.
• Act in accordance with the law and with any deed, charter, or similar    instrument relating to the school.
• Consult with and inform the patron of decisions and proposals
• Publish the school's policy on admission to and participation in the    school, including its policy on expulsion and suspension of students,    admission and participation by students with disabilities or with other    special educational needs
• Ensure that the school's admissions policy respects the choices of    parents and the principles of equality and that it complies with    Ministerial directions, having regard to the school ethos and the    constitutional rights of all concerned
• Have regard for the principles and requirements of a democratic society    and promote respect for the diversity of values, beliefs, traditions,    languages and ways of life in our society
• Have regard to the efficient use of resources (particularly the grants    provided by the State), the public interest in the affairs of the school    and accountability to students, parents and the community
• Use the resources provided by the State to make reasonable provision and    accommodation for students with disabilities or special needs, including,    if necessary, the adaptation of buildings or provision of special equipment

How boards of management operate

• Governance structures for schools should respond to the diversity of    school types, ownership and management structures that is the central    feature of the structure of Irish education at primary level.
• Governance structures should reflect the plurality of Irish society,    including the rights and needs of minority groups.
• The composition of boards should reflect and promote participation and    partnership in the running of schools among    patrons/trustees/owners/governors, parents, teachers and the wider    community.
• The composition and operation of boards of management should reflect and    promote public accountability to the immediate community served by the    school and to the state as the predominant source of funding for schools.
• The recognition of the responsibility of    patrons/trustees/owners/governors to maintain and promote a distinctive    ethos in their schools and to ensure the practical means to discharge this    responsibility.
• Board practice should facilitate and promote commitment by parents to the    affairs of the school and the functioning of an effective parents'    association.

Who is on the board

• Two direct nominees of the patron
• Two parents of children enrolled in the school (one mother and one    father) elected by the parents
• The principal
• One other teacher elected by the teaching staff.
• Two extra members agreed by the representatives of the patron, teachers    and parents.

• The people appointed must have a commitment to the ethos of the school.    In the case of Catholic schools, they must have an understanding of and    commitment to Catholic education as outlined in the Deed of Trust for    Catholic Schools. For Church of Ireland schools, they must be members of    that Church; in Presbyterian schools, they must also be church members and    in Muslim schools they should be members of the Muslim community in Ireland    (in all cases the patron of the school can decide otherwise). For Educate    Together schools they must have a commitment to the ethos of the school.
• They must have skills that are complementary to the board's requirements
• They must be interested in education but normally should not be parents    of students currently attending the school or teachers currently on the    staff
• In Gaeltacht schools and Gaelscoileanna, they are expected to have a good    knowledge of the Irish language.
• The need to maintain a gender balance must be a consideration

• A person who is an undischarged bankrupt or was involved in a court    procedure for settling with creditors in the previous three years or
• A person who received a prison sentence in the previous 5 years.

Activities of the board

• It has responsibility for drawing up the school plan and for ensuring    that it is implemented. (Guidelines for primary    schools on school development planning (pdf) are found on the School    Development Planning Initiative website.)
• It appoints the principal, the teachers and other staff.
• It must ensure that the school fulfils its functions as set out in the    Education Act 1998.
• It must promote contact between the school, the parents and the community    and must facilitate and give all reasonable help to a parents' association    in its formation and its activities.
• It has overall responsibility for the school's finances. It is obliged to    have comprehensive insurance cover for the school. It must keep proper    accounts, which may be audited by the Department of Education and Skillsa    and/or the Comptroller and Auditor General. Its annual accounts must be    available to the patron and the school community.

Term of office of the board