Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 23 November 2021
93. Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for Education if her Department will examine the situation vis-a-vis schools with ASD units whereby a child with autism has to apply first for a mainstream place and then transfer to the ASD unit with their initial application leaving them very low on the admissions list as opposed to their being considered separately for direct admission to the ASD unit; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [57007/21]
View answerIn relation to school admissions, it is the responsibility of the managerial authorities of all schools to implement an enrolment policy in accordance with the Education Act, 1998 and the Education (Admission to Schools) Act 2018.
Under the provisions of the Education (Admission to Schools) Act 2018, all schools are required to have their admissions policies, published on the schools website.
The act requires schools to clearly set out their selection criteria in their admission policies, including those that apply to a special class. Schools have discretion in relation to their admission criteria and how they are applied, however in the case of a special class, the applicant must have category of special needs that the special class provided for. The criteria to be applied by schools and the order of priority are a matter for the schools themselves. It is an important feature of the act that schools can only make a decision on an application for admission that is based on the schools admission policy.
The act also requires schools to set out in their annual Admission Notice how many places are available in the intake year and how many places are being made available in the special class for the current year, and in previous years how many applications were received and how many offers of a place was made by the school in respect of each of the school’s selection criteria. It is an important aspect of the act that all school admission policies are fair and transparent.
