THE National Parents Council Primary has warmly welcomed the Education Bill. "This Bill will mean that all students and parents will now have legal rights and entitlements - entitlements to support services, a right to information, access to appeals where the decision of the school would materially affect a student's education, the right to be consulted and the right to choose the school your child will attend," says NPC Primary national coordinator, Fionnuala Kilfeather.

However, she says that the Bill is missing a structure for consultation at national level. "This is still left on an ad hoc basis. In our Green Paper and White Paper submissions we raised the issue of setting up of a national advisory council for the Minister. The 1991 OECD report on the Irish education system also recommended such a body." Kilfeather also expressed concern about the absence of the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment.

She says the education boards should be sub divided into smaller regions on the same basis that health boards are split into community care regions. "It might be sensible to use a similar structure as people will know where to get information."

Kilfeather says that many remarks about the costs of education board are scaremongering. "An effective administration has to cost something but the Department of Education will be slimmed down and personnel redeployed. Rationalising the VECs will also free up people and buildings. It needs to be looked at in a sensible manner."

She also defends the appeals system. It is not intended to deal with small, vexatious complaints but with something that "materially" affects the education of a student, she explains. "If something materially affects you in any other walk of life you would have an appeal. It is a civil right," she says. In contrast to the ASTI's view, she anticipates fewer minor complaints as increased information will be available to people.

She says that students of 16 years or older should have the right to complain. "We expect people to live in a democracy. It's not something - you can just teach in a civics, social and political education class. It must be modelled in school and the education system and this is just part of it. The appeals mechanism recognises young peoples emerging responsibility for themselves."