Introduction
Section 43 (1) of the Teaching Council Acts 2001- 2015 provides that the Disciplinary Committee of the Teaching Council shall hold an inquiry into the fitness to teach of a registered teacher, in respect of a complaint referred to it by the Investigating Committee. This would arise where that Committee is of the opinion that there is a prima facia case to warrant further action being taken in relation to a complaint.
For the most part inquiries are held in the offices of the Teaching Council in Maynooth, Co Kildare and take place in public unless a witness or the teacher, the subject of the inquiry, requests that all or part of the inquiry is held in private and that the Panel of the Disciplinary Committee conducting the inquiry is satisfied that it is appropriate to do so.