10. Deputy Pat the Cope Gallagher asked the Minister for Education and Youth the reason an expert report described by an assistant principal officer as significant medical evidence was not acted upon, considering it corroborated the information supplied to the teacher by an employee in the occupational health service, OHS, (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [58433/25]

Sentiment score: 0.08

I wish to ask the Minister about a case that affects a teacher in my constituency. I am reluctant to go into too much detail. I will await the Minister’s response before I pose supplementary questions.

Sentiment score: 0.08

I thank the Minister for that response. At least by her response she is leaving the door open. It is a matter now and I will relate that to the individual to suggest that the person should make a fresh application and follow the procedure. I wish to read into the record that the board of management of the particular school made the decision regarding the granting of critical illness provision, CIP, on the basis of management discretion where exceptional circumstances existed. Appendix B of Circular 0054/2019 was used to assist the board in making its decision. The Minister mentioned the Medmark medical criteria for the granting of a CIP, but this was done by the management on the basis of exceptional circumstances. I would have thought at the time the decision was taken, on 15 December 2020, that it would have progressed quickly after that. For GDPR reasons, I will not go into any detail now on whether the Minister is able to do that. I presume there are other facts that relate to this person who has problems with dressing, meal preparation, use of technology, social and sleep. There are so many. It is possibly the worst that I have had experience of in all my years here. I will take the Minister at her word. I will recommend that a fresh application be submitted. I hope, when it is submitted, that it will be processed as expeditiously as possible to try to bring this matter to a conclusion.

Sentiment score: 0.06

When this application is resubmitted, will it be assessed by the same officials? I am not casting any aspersions because I do not know who the officials are, but I suggest that the Minister recommend that a fresh pair of eyes process the application, rather than the same individuals. If it is the same individuals, they may take up the same entrenched position. My interest, and I am sure the Minister's interest, is to ensure this particular teacher gets a fair hearing. I hope the outcome will be a positive one.

Sentiment score: 0.48