Minister for Education Richard Bruton has said he does not want to give a personal view on the establishment of an education ombudsman as "my views are only in development".

Mr Bruton was responding in his first question time as Minister to party colleague Jim Daly, who appealed to him to "give his attention" to the programme for government commitment to establish an ombudsman for education.

Mr Daly said the ombudsman would be an appeal system for parents who have “nowhere to go” with a grievance once a board of management had made a decision.

He said the Department of Education and the schools inspectorate had a “hands-off approach” once boards of management made a decision. In many schools the board of management was the principal, and “if the principal decides something the board of management merely rubber-stamps it”.

The Minister said under existing law the department did not have the power to instruct schools to follow a particular course in regard to individual complaint cases.

How to structure an appeals mechanism was a matter to be teased out in committee to see how the ombudsman would work and how the recommendation would be implemented.

He said while the programme for government committed to an ombudsman it also provided for a stronger complaints procedure, a charter for parents and to commencing fitness to teach provisions. They would need to consider the programme commitments together.

Mr Daly said he had published quite comprehensive legislation on the issue, and it was ready to go to committee.

Mr Bruton said he recognised “the sincerity of the deputy’s concern and it is certainly something I will give priority attention to in the department”.