Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 3 July 2008
11 Deputy Michael D. Higgins asked the Minister for Education and Science if he is to establish an enrolment commissioner-admissions officer; if this appointment is contrary to the spirit of the recommendations of the Cromien report 2000 in the context of an audit of school enrolment policies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26069/08]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe audit of school enrolment policies, published on my Department's website on 28 April last, looked at the enrolment of Traveller children, newcomer children and children with special education needs in almost 2,000 schools at primary and post-primary level. The audit also looked at the written enrolment policies of a proportion of these schools and, more tellingly, how these policies translate into practice in terms of actual enrolment patterns.
At a general level, the audit finds no evidence of any system wide enrolment practices that give rise to concern. The audit does give rise to wider policy questions relating to:
The need for enhanced information for parents about their rights should a school refuse to enrol their child.
Those aspects of the written enrolment policies of schools which may be deemed exclusionary, e.g. pre-enrolling children from birth or providing preference to children of past pupils, thereby putting newcomers to communities at a disadvantage.
The potential for improved inter-school co-operation in a given area in order to address enrolment anomalies.
Possible proposals for intervention in local admissions where inter-school co-operation is not achieved.
How identified problems can best be addressed.
A process of consultation with the main education partners on possible follow-up policy responses was commenced at the end of April, with a deadline for receipt of submissions of 6 June 2008. As part of this consultation process, specific questions were posed around the policy issues and possible approaches identified above. The potential role of a designated officer with powers of intervention in local school admissions, where inter-school co-operation cannot be achieved, is one possible approach on which specific views were sought. Under this particular proposal, it is envisaged that such powers would only be used in exceptional circumstances and as such I am satisfied that it would not run counter to the spirit of the Cromien Report recommendations.
The responses received under the consultation process are now under consideration and it is my intention to take account of all views expressed before formulating any specific proposals for action in order to address any anomalous enrolment practice that has been identified by the audit.
