Tagairt, the Manual for Members of Boards of Management and Principals of Community and Comprehensive Schools, published by ACCS, is a distillation of the experience and good practice of more than thirty years.   It seeks to place school management firmly in the context of the Deed of Trust for Community Schools, the Instruments and Articles of Management for Comprehensive Schools, the Education Act, 1998, other relevant legislation, the Circular Letters and other requirements of the Department of Education and Science and various agreements with Teacher Unions.   It also seeks to give due recognition to the role of all the partners in the management of Community and Comprehensive Schools; of the Trustees, the teachers, the parents, the Principals, officers of the Department of Education and Science and the Minister for Education and Science.

However, it is important to stress that Tagairt is a set of guidelines for Boards of Management, individual Board Members and Principals.   It does not purport to provide an answer to every question that arises for a Board or a Principal, but it does set out to enable Board Members and Principals to approach problems in an informed way. 

Note:   ACCS wishes to emphasise that this Manual is for general information and guidance only. It is not intended to be an interpretation or a statement of the law on any particular topic.   Where a Board of Management is seriously concerned about a specific matter, legal advice should always be sought.

No responsibility is taken by the ACCS for any errors or omissions.

• 0.1 Introduction
• 0.2 Objectives
• 0.3 History
• 0.4 Structures of ACCS
• 0.5 The Work of ACCS
• 0.6 Services
• 0.7 Representation

• 1.1 The Education Act, 1998
• 1.2 The Deed of Trust for Community Schools
• 1.3 Community School Trustees
• 1.4 Instrument and Articles of Management for Comprehensive Schools

• 2.1 Composition of Boards of Management
• 2.2 Term of Office of a Board of Management
• 2.3 Appointment of a Board of Management
• 2.4 Nominations by the Trustees to the Board of Management
• 2.5 Election of Parent Nominees
• 2.6 Election of Teacher Nominees
• 2.7 Eligibility to Vote in Election of Teachers to the Board of Management
• 2.8 Termination of Membership
• 2.9 Quorum for Board Meetings
• 2.10 Responsibilities of a Board of Management
• 2.11 Chairperson of the Board of Management
• 2.12 The Role of the Chairperson
• 2.13 Secretary of the Board of Management
• 2.14 Convening of Board Meetings
• 2.15 Agenda for Meeting of Board of Management
• 2.16 Minutes of the Board of Management Meeting
• 2.17 Confidentiality of Board Meetings
• 2.18 Non-members attending Board Meetings
• 2.19 The Parents' Association

• 3.1 The Teaching Council
• 3.2 Teacher Allocation
• 3.3 Contracts of Employment.
• 3.4 Teacher appointments.
• 3.5 Substitution
• 3.6 Payment of Teachers
• 3.7 Supervision and substitution by existing staff.
• 3.8 Job Sharing Scheme for Second level Teachers
• 3.9 Career Break Scheme
• 3.10 Advertising of Teaching Posts
• 3.11 Appointment Procedures
• 3.12 Suspension and/or Dismissal of a Teacher
• 3.13 Posts of Responsibility
• 3.14 Notice of Resignation and/or Retirement
• 3.15 Special Needs Assistants
• 3.16 Allocation of Secretarial Staff
• 3.17 Allocation of Caretaking Staff

• 4.1 Obligations of a Board of Management
• 4.2 Responsibilities of a Principal
• 4.3 Delegation
• 4.4 The Welfare of Staff
• 4.5 Consultation with Teachers
• 4.6 Discrimination
• 4.7 Bullying and Harassment
• 4.8 Violence in Schools
• 4.9 Grievance Procedures
• 4.10 Leave
• 4.11 Special Leave
• 4.12 Personal or Family Emergencies
• 4.13 Sick Leave
• 4.14 Maternity Leave
• 4.15 Disability and Maternity Benefit Procedures - Permanent and Temporary Wholetime Teaching Staff and Non-teaching Staff
• 4.16 Treatment of Social Welfare Benefits for Payroll Purposes
• 4.17 Other Leave

• 5.0 Administrative and Financial Guidelines
• 5.1 Financial Returns to Department of Education and Science.
• 5.2 Returns to Collector General
• 5.3 Administrative Returns to Department of Education and Science.
• 5.4 Audits
• 5.5 Reports and Procedures.
• 5.6 Purchasing Policy.
• 5.7 Payments for Travel and Subsistence.
• 5.8 Insurance Arrangements
• 5.9 Teachers’ Cars
• 5.10 Other School Funds

• 6.1 Health and Safety Legislation
• 6.2 Duties of the Board of Management
• 6.3 Bullying and Stress as a Health and Safety Issue.
• 6.4 Duties of Employees

• 7.0 The care and Management of Students
• 7.1 Enrolment of Students
• 7.2 The Code of Behaviour and Discipline
• 7.3 Bullying and Harassment
• 7.4 School Uniform
• 7.5 Supervision
• 7.6 Work Experience
• 7.7 Taking care of Pupils who become ill or are injured during the school day
• 7.8 Liability for Personal Property
• 7.9 Provision of Information to Students

• 8.1 Guidance and Counselling
• 8.2 Confidential Material

• 9.1 Copyright

• 10.1 Religious Ethos of the School
• 10.2 Personal Suitability of Religious Education Teachers.
• 10.3 Withdrawal of a Student from Religious Education and Worship
• 10.4 Religious Practice
• 10.5 The School Chaplain

• 11.1 Trespass
• 11.2 Teachers’ Property
• 11.3 Political Indoctrination
• 11.4 Defamation
• 11.5 Garda Investigations
• 11.6 Drug Abuse
• 11.7 Computer Systems
• 11.8 The School Year
• 11.9 Child Abuse
• 11.10 Young People at Work

• APPENDIX 1 THE DEED OF TRUST FOR COMMUNITY SCHOOLS
• Appendix 2 ENDORSEMENT OF DEED OF TRUST
• APPENDIX 3 - GRIEVANCE PROCEDURES
• APPENDIX 4 -ACCS/ASTI/TUI AGREEMENT on EQUALITY of OPPORTUNITY in COMMUNITY and COMPREHENSIVE SCHOOLS [dated 10th November, 1992 ]
• APPENDIX 5 - Insurance arrangements for pupils on work experience modules in Community/Comprehensive Schools 1996
• APPENDIX 6 - SAMPLE ADVERTISEMENTS for TEACHING POSTS