Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 18 October 2022
478. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Education if her attention has been drawn to a school (details supplied) that is seeking details on the past-pupil status of a child’s brother or father and information on the parents’ occupations on the application form for enrolment; and if this is considered appropriate by her Department for State schools to discriminate in enrolment based on such details. [51966/22]
View answer479. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Education if her attention has been drawn to a school (details supplied) that lists the siblings or parents of a child having been past pupils of the school as grounds for priority treatment, or positive discrimination, for that child being allowed to enrol at the school; and if such discrimination is considered appropriate by her Department. [51967/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 478 and 479 together.
In 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 admissions policies, which have been approved by the patron, following consultation with staff and parents of children who are attending the school. The school’s admissions policy is published on the schools website. It is a key requirement of the act that all school admission policies are fair and transparent.
Parents have the right to choose which school to apply to and where the school has places available for the relevant year, the pupil/student should be admitted. However, in schools where there are more applicants than places available, a selection process will 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. However, this may result in some pupils/student not obtaining a place in the school of their first choice.
The act requires schools to clearly set out their selection criteria in their admission policies. Schools have discretion in relation to their admission criteria and how they are applied. The criteria to be applied by schools and the order of priority are a matter for the schools themselves.
A school may not provide priority based on a student's connection to the school by virtue of a member of his or her family attending or having previously attended the school, however an exception is made, where a parent or grandparent of the student concerned has previously attended the school, provided the maximum number of places for such children of past pupils does not exceed 25% of the available places in the school. Schools can also include a selection criteria for siblings of the student is attending or has attended the school.
The act prohibits schools when deciding on an application from taking into account the occupation, financial status, academic, ability, skills or aptitude of a student’s parents. 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. In relation to the request of a school referred to by the Deputy seeking the occupation of the parents, the Department will contact the school in relation to this matter.
