A teacher has been arrested and questioned by gardaí after they received a complaint that he had sexually assaulted a 13-year-old boy while in charge of a group of school children on trip to Cork city.
The man - who is a teacher at a secondary school in the south of the country - is alleged to have sexually assaulted the boy during a visit to a swimming pool complex in the course of a school outing to Cork last December.
The boy's parents contacted the Garda, who began an investigation, and the man was subsequently arrested under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act and questioned for six hours before being released without charge.
Gardaí have also interviewed other staff members who were on the trip, as well as up to 20 classmates of the complainant, about the alleged assault.
It is understood that the school is co-operating fully with gardaí in their inquiry. The teacher has not been suspended but has been on sick leave since the complaint was made and has had no contact with pupils as a consequence.
A Department of Education spokesperson confirmed that they were aware that a complaint had been received about the teacher but said that the matter was being investigated by the Garda and it would be inappropriate to comment further at this stage.
It is understood that gardaí have prepared a file on the matter for the Director of Public Prosecutions and a decision is expected shortly from the DPP on whether charges will be brought against the man, who has said he is innocent of the assault allegation.