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School Enrolments.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 11 February 2010

Thursday, 11 February 2010

Ceisteanna (284, 285)

Brian Hayes

Ceist:

283 Deputy Brian Hayes asked the Minister for Education and Science the number of section 29 appeals taken in each of the past five years at primary level; the reason for these appeals; the outcome of these appeals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7487/10]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Brian Hayes

Ceist:

284 Deputy Brian Hayes asked the Minister for Education and Science the number of section 29 appeals taken in each of the past five years at second level; the reason for these appeals; the outcome of these appeals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7488/10]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

I propose to take Questions Nos. 283 and 284 together.

Section 29 of the Education Act 1998, provides parents with an appeal process where a Board of Management of a school, or a person acting on behalf of the Board, expels, suspends for a period greater than 20 days, or refuses to enrol a student. In these circumstances, the school is obliged to inform parents of their right under Section 29 of Education Act 1998 to appeal that decision. Where the school is established or maintained by a VEC an appeal shall lie in the first instance to the VEC and thereafter to the Secretary General of my Department. Only where an appeal under Section 29 is upheld can the Secretary General of my Department direct a school to enrol or re-instate a pupil.

The information requested by the Deputy is included in the attached table, which details the total number of appeals admitted by the Department for each of the last five years at primary and second level, the reason for the appeals and the outcome of these appeals.

Appeals in

2009

2008

2007

2006

2005

Post-Primary

266

214

188

181

216

Primary

124

171

195

85

84

Total

390

385

383

266

300

Refusal to Enrol

Post Primary

Refusal to enrol

Withdrawn

Local Resolution

Facilitator Resolution

Upheld at Hearing

Not Upheld at Hearing

Totals

2005

18

39

13

31

36

137

2006

25

8

3

30

27

93

2007

27

3

9

44

25

108

2008

16

16

22

30

45

129

2009

41

19

33

42

68

203

Total

127

85

80

177

201

670

Primary Sector

Refusal to enrol

Withdrawn

Local Resolution

Facilitator Resolution

Upheld at Hearing

Not Upheld at Hearing

Totals

2005

7

10

15

24

14

70

2006

27

5

9

20

13

74

2007

35

17

48

28

60

188

2008

33

15

32

28

42

150

2009

30

12

14

19

40

115

Total

132

59

118

119

169

597

Expulsions

Post primary

Expulsion

Withdrawn

Local Resolution

Facilitator Resolution

Upheld at Hearing

Not Upheld at Hearing

Totals

2005

9

1

6

10

42

68

2006

9

2

9

21

43

84

2007

17

0

3

11

40

71

2008

3

2

2

19

46

72

2009

13

0

4

7

32

56

Total

51

5

24

68

203

351

Primary

Expulsion

Withdrawn

Local Resolution

Facilitator Resolution

Upheld at Hearing

Not Upheld at Hearing

Totals

2005

4

0

2

3

3

12

2006

2

0

0

2

3

7

2007

0

0

1

2

2

5

2008

1

0

0

5

6

12

2009

3

0

0

2

3

8

Total

10

0

3

14

17

44

Suspensions

Post Primary

Suspension

Withdrawn

Local Resolution

Facilitator Resolution

Upheld at Hearing

Not Upheld at Hearing

Totals

2005

3

0

0

4

4

11

2006

1

0

1

0

2

4

2007

2

0

3

2

2

9

2008

1

1

2

6

3

13

2009

0

0

2

2

3

7

Total

7

1

8

14

14

44

Primary

Suspension

Withdrawn

Local Resolution

Facilitator Resolution

Upheld at Hearing

Not Upheld at Hearing

Totals

2005

0

0

0

1

1

2

2006

1

0

0

1

2

4

2007

0

0

0

1

1

2

2008

0

2

2

3

2

9

2009

1

0

0

0

0

1

Total

2

2

2

6

6

18

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