A former primary school principal convicted of stealing more than €100,000 from his school should be suspended from the teaching register for one month, the sectors’ regulator has held.
A Teaching Council fitness-to-teach panel decided the registrant, who is currently teaching in a different primary school, should be censured and conditions should be attached to his registration.
These conditions include that the teacher should not take up a teaching position where he would have access to money and he should inform any employer or prospective employer of this condition.
The panel held that the teacher at his own expense would attend a consultant psychiatrist for the purposes of obtaining a medical report within 12 months of these conditions becoming active.
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The panel previously imposed reporting restrictions to protect the anonymity of the teacher.
It previously found that the allegations against the teacher, namely that he was convicted of one or more offences triable on indictment pursuant to section 4 of the Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud Offences) Act 2001, were proven and that this affected his fitness to teach. The teacher previously admitted to the factual allegations.
The thefts occurred in a primary school several years ago. The man was tried in court, convicted and sentenced to six years, with the final 4½ years suspended.
The thefts stemmed from the use of a credit card and cheques on which the man forged the signature of the chairperson of the board of management.
The panel found this conduct was serious and involved dishonesty.
Chair Mary Magner said the actions deprived the teacher’s former school of resources and planned infrastructure.
Ms Magner said there were numerous instances of theft over a two-year period that amounted to a pattern of “premeditated and deliberate” behaviour.
While the panel accepted the majority of the money stolen had been repaid by the teacher, it also pointed out that the school had been without the money for many years.
The panel further accepted the uncontroverted evidence of Prof Colin O’Gara, a consultant psychiatrist at St John of God Hospital, who works in the field of addiction, that the teacher obtained no benefit from the money stolen due to the nature of his addiction.
The mitigating factors included that the thefts occurred when the teacher was suffering from a disability and illness that can have a genetic and physiological basis.
Ms Magner referenced the evidence of Prof O’Gara that the thefts fed the teacher’s addiction.
Ms Magner said the teacher admitted that his behaviour was serious, that he had co-operated with the investigation and that from the outset of the complaint against him he had made admissions.
Further Ms Magner said the teacher has apologised for his behaviour and the panel was of the view his remorse is genuine and that he has demonstrated in-depth insight into his conduct.
The teacher’s barrister, Louise Byrne, instructed by Cullen & Co Solicitors and the Teachers’ Union of Ireland, told the panel they will consider the outcome of the inquiry.
The teacher has a period of time in which he may appeal the panel’s decision. If the teacher does not appeal, the decision is then brought before the president of the High Court for confirmation.
