Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 20 February 2013
133. Deputy James Bannon asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding a school place in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Longford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9220/13]
View answerThe question of enrolment in individual schools is the responsibility of the managerial authority of those schools. My Department's main responsibility is to ensure that schools in an area can, between them, cater for all pupils seeking places. In relation to the availability of school places in the specific schools referred to by the Deputy, my Department has no applications on hands from any of the schools concerned for additional accommodation to address any immediate accommodation needs. Should a school need such additional accommodation it is open to the school authority to apply for same by completing the application form which can be downloaded from the Department's website www.education.ie. It is the responsibility of the managerial authorities of all schools to implement an enrolment policy in accordance with the Education Act 1998. In this regard a Board of Management may find it necessary to restrict enrolment to children from a particular area or a particular age group or, occasionally, on the basis of some other criterion. The criteria to be applied by schools in such circumstances are a matter for the schools themselves. This selection process and the enrolment policy on which it is based must be non-discriminatory and must be applied fairly in respect of all applicants.
Under section 15 (2) (d) of the Education Act 1998, each school is legally obliged to disclose its enrolment policy and to ensure that as regards that policy that principles of equality and the rights of parents to send their children to a school of the parents choice are respected. Section 29 of the Education Act 1998 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. Where a school refuses to enrol a pupil, the school is obliged to inform parents of their right under Section 29 of the Education Act 1998 to appeal that decision to either the relevant Vocational Educational Committee or to the Secretary General of my Department. 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.
