Niamh Smyth
Question:691. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Education the reason a person (details supplied) cannot get a school place to start school this year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38637/23]
View answerMonday, 11 September 2023
Questions (691)
Written answers
The Education (Welfare) Act, 2000, provides for the entitlement of every child residing in the State to a certain minimum education. The Act defines a child as being a person resident in the State who has reached the age of 6 years and who – (a) has not reached the age of 16 years, or (b) has not completed 3 years of post-primary education, whichever occurs later, but shall not include a person who has reached the age of 18 years.
Section 29 of the Education Act 1998 as inserted by section 7 of the Education (Admissions to schools) Act 2018 provides for an appeal, where a board of management, or a person acting on behalf of the board of management (normally the school principal) refuses to admit a student to a school, suspends a student for not less than 20 days or permanently excludes a student.
The Senior Education Welfare Officer for this area will make direct contact with the young person's parent(s)/guardian(s) to offer support and advise of other educational options and supports available in the area which are specifically designed for young person's who are returning to education or where there may have been gaps in education.