Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 29 January 2015
163. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the options available in respect of second level education for the child of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4190/15]
View answerThe Educational Welfare Services (EWS) of the Child and Family Agency is the statutory agency which can assist parents who are experiencing difficulty in securing a school place for their child. The EWS may be able to offer assistance and advice on securing a school placement within the pupil's area. The contact details for the EWS Child and Family Agency Head Office, 16-22 Green Street, Dublin 7, phone number 01-8738700.
The selection and enrolment of pupils in schools is the responsibility of the authorities of the individual school. My Department's main responsibility is to ensure that schools in an area can, between them, cater for all pupils seeking school places in an area. However, this may result in some pupils not obtaining a place in the school of their first choice. As schools may not have a place for every applicant, a selection process may be necessary. 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 right of parents to send their children to a school of the parents' choice are respected. If a parent feels that they may have experienced discrimination, they may wish to contact the Equality Tribunal which is an independent State body set up to investigate or mediate complaints of discrimination. They can be contacted at The Equality Tribunal, Davitt House, 65A Adelaide Road, Dublin 2, Tel: +353 1 6136800 or Email: info@equalitytribunal.ie.
Section 29 of the Education Act, 1998 provides for an appeal by a parent or guardian to the Secretary General of my Department, or in the case of a Educational Training Board (ETB) school to the ETB in the first instance, where a Board of Management of a school, or a person acting on behalf of the Board, refuses to enrol a student in a school, expels 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.
