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Cameron Diaz in Bad Teacher, who would probably fall afoul of the new regulations.

Bad teachers can be punished more easily under new rules

Ruairí Quinn is increasing the power of the Teaching Council to bring in new sanctions for bad and underperforming teachers.

NEW RULES TO be brought into force by the Department of Education will make it easier to punish bad and underperforming teachers.

Minister for Education Ruairí Quinn is bringing new legislation before the Oireachtas which will significantly increase the powers available to the Teaching Council, which is the regulatory body for teachers.

The new powers will give the Teaching Council a range of new sanctions to deal with poor teachers.

Up until now, a teacher had to be deemed ‘unfit to teach’ before the Teaching Council could impose any sanctions.

Depending on the findings against a teacher, the Council will be able to hand down punishments ranging from advice, formal warnings, suspension or removal from the register of teachers. Up until now, teachers could only be suspended or removed from the teaching register if they were found to be unfit to teach.

Ruairí Quinn said that the new powers to investigate allegations of misconduct and underperformance will mean parents have a method of having complaints about teaching standards investigated.

“The vast majority of teachers in our classrooms perform well. But for the small minority who do not, I believe that the Teaching Council will now have at its disposal the right tools to deal with cases of serious misconduct and to improve and assist poorly performing teachers,” said the Minister.

He compared the new sanctions to those in other professional regulators such as the Medical Council and An Bord Altranais, which regulates the nursing profession.

“The operation by the Council of robust fitness to teach procedures is important for the public and teachers so that they have full confidence in the teaching profession. This is a further positive step in the full professionalisation of teaching”.

Under the new legislation, teachers will also be able to appeal any refusal of renewal of registration by the Teaching Council to the High Court.

The move is one of a series of reforms brought in under Education Minister Ruairí Quinn, who is also looking to reform the Junior Cert for the first time in 24 years, and change the rules around school uniforms and patronage if parents choose to do so.

Read: Teachers and Dept of Education to discuss concerns over Junior Cert reform >

Read: ASTI accepts latest Haddington Road Agreement >

Column: I don’t teach for ‘good money’ or ‘cushy holidays’ >

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    Mute Marian Jennings Reilly
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    Sep 25th 2013, 8:27 AM

    Please god this lady is found safe

    219
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    Mute Dalai Obama
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    Sep 25th 2013, 8:30 AM

    There is hope,last year a limerick woman suffering from Alzheimers was found alive and well in a field a few days after she went missing.

    Hope this beautiful woman is found alive and well.

    158
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    Mute Rebecca eaton
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    Sep 25th 2013, 8:48 AM

    Bless her I hope she is found soon safe and well my thoughts are with her family xx

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    Mute Brenda Campbell
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    Sep 25th 2013, 1:41 PM

    Thankfully the weather is mild….a man, in similar circumstances, was found alive and well yesterday in Galway having been missing for 2 nights. He was located in a wooded area not far from where he had gone missing.

    33
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    Mute Paul Moore
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    Sep 25th 2013, 9:33 AM

    Its very sad when you hear things like this, I hope shes ok

    58
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    Mute Tony Doyle
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    Sep 25th 2013, 2:13 PM

    As a carer for my own Mum who has Alzhiemers,i pray that this beautiful Lady is found alive & well,i can’t imagine the torment that her family is going through.

    33
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    Mute Michael Quigley
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    Sep 25th 2013, 9:54 AM

    Just heard this on this radio. Hopefully she is safe and will return home soon.

    31
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    Mute Michael Quigley
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    Sep 25th 2013, 9:57 AM

    Inconsiderate before the spelling police arrive

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    Mute Michael Quigley
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    Sep 25th 2013, 9:56 AM

    Show some respect anthony instead of writing inconsoderate comments.

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    Mute Anne Ryan
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    Sep 25th 2013, 11:15 AM

    Hope she is found safe,, poor woman :-(

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    Mute Michelle Mc Loughney
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    Sep 25th 2013, 1:12 PM

    Yes. Hope there is a good outcome. Volunteers are the backbone of eveey community in a situation like this.

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    Mute Larry Lemur
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    Sep 25th 2013, 10:31 AM

    Anthony! What a moron

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    Mute Eileen Demirarslan Mallon
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    Sep 25th 2013, 12:25 PM

    Jesus we trust in you

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    Mute Emma
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    Sep 25th 2013, 2:14 PM

    Poor woman and her family hopefully she comes home safe

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    Mute Margaret Martin
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    Sep 25th 2013, 12:33 PM

    Pray to st Anthony.i payed for 2 missing people last week.both were found safe and well

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    Mute Kitty Con Carne Burnell
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    Sep 26th 2013, 1:38 PM

    For all the people who red-thumbed this (who I assume are part of the anti-religion crusade)

    Whether or not praying actually works, it makes the person doing it feel like they’re helping. For family or friends who have exhausted all the options, it reassures them and makes them feel slightly safer knowing that they are appealing to a higher power (or that other people are doing that too, and keeping their loved one in their thoughts)

    Why red thumb what is basically good will? I don’t believe in a god but if someone wants to pray for me, I’d be happy that they considered me.

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    Mute Margaret Martin
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    Sep 25th 2013, 3:19 PM

    Ignorant comment michelle

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    Mute Michelle Mc Loughney
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    Sep 25th 2013, 3:59 PM

    I’ll pray for you to get over it.

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    Mute Edel Byrne
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    Sep 25th 2013, 9:23 PM

    Very sad and must be so scary for the woman. Can’t imagine how she or her family feel. She is in my thoughts and prayers.

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    Mute Mary O'dwyer
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    Sep 25th 2013, 4:50 PM

    Hope that this lovely kind woman is found safe and well

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