Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 29 January 2013
343. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to correspondence regarding a pupil (details supplied) in County Donegal who has been denied access to their school; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4403/13]
View answerThe question of enrolment in individual schools is the responsibility of the managerial authority of those schools. The Department's main responsibility is to ensure that schools in an area can, between them, cater for all pupils seeking places. The selection process and the enrolment policy on which it is based is matter for the individual school authority. In formulating an enrolment policy a school must, however, ensure it is lawful and applied fairly to all applicants.
Section 15(g) of the Education Act 1998, provides that a board shall use the resources provided to the school from monies provided by the Oireachtas to make reasonable provision and accommodation for students with a disability or other special educational needs, including, where necessary, alteration of building and provision of appropriate equipment. Section 29 of the Education Act, provides parents with an appeal process where a board of management of a school or a person acting on behalf of the Board refuses enrolment to a student or suspends a student for 20 or more days in any school year. My Department has no authority to compel a school to admit a pupil, except in the case of an appeal under section 29 of the Education Act, 1998 being upheld.
Appeals application forms and details of procedures for taking a Section 29 appeal are available from my Departments website, www.education.ie or directly from Section 29 appeals administration unit at Section 29 Appeals Section Friars Mill Road, Mullingar, Co. Westmeath or by phone at 044 9337018. The National Educational Welfare Board (NEWB) is the statutory agency which can assist parents who are experiencing difficulty in securing a school place for their child. The Board can be contacted at National Educational Welfare Board, National Headquarters, 16-22 Green Street, Dublin 7 or by telephone at 01-8738700.
