Ruane sorry for pupil file breach

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/northern_ireland/7250167.stm

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Education Minister Caitriona Ruane has apologised after confidential files were found at a roadside near Newry.

The files contain personal information about pupils and their families dating back almost 40 years.

It is thought they fell off a trailer on its way to a dump in Camlough. They were handed over to SDLP assembly member Dominic Bradley at the weekend.

Ms Ruane said his decision to go public was "politically motivated," but added: "I accept there's a problem."

The secret dossiers on about 120 pupils contained comments about threadbare clothing on unwashed children and derogatory descriptions of parents.

Among the information in the files were results of doctors' examinations, data on admissions to a psychiatric institution and prosecutions for non-attendance at school.

Mr Bradley insisted he had acted in the public interest and told the minister and the Southern Education Board not to shoot the messenger.

Ms Ruane told assembly members that a full investigation had begun.

"The message to say to our current children who are worried now watching this is that we will do everything to make sure the records are safe," she said.

"(I want) to say to the adults who were children then we are going to be contacting them and we will totally protect their confidentiality and their identity."