Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 24 October 2017
133. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of section 29 appeals to his Department on expulsions which occurred in each of the years 2014 to 2016, inclusive; and the outcome of each appeal. [44761/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra134. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of section 29 appeals to his Department on expulsions arising from special schools or children attending special classes in each of the years 2014 to 2016, inclusive; and the outcome of such appeals. [44762/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra135. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of section 29 appeals to his Department on expulsion arising in respect of children who were diagnosed as having special educational needs in each of the years 2014 to 2016, inclusive; and the outcome of each such appeal. [44763/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra136. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of section 29 appeals to his Department on refusals to admit which occurred in each of the years 2014 to 2016, inclusive; and the outcome of each such appeal. [44764/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra137. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of section 29 appeals to his Department on refusals to admit arising from special schools or children attending special classes in each of the years 2014 to 2016, inclusive; and the outcome of each such appeal. [44765/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra138. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of section 29 appeals to his Department on refusals to admit arising in respect of children who were diagnosed as having special educational needs in each of the years 2014 to 2016, inclusive; and the outcome of each such appeal. [44766/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to answer Question Nos. 133 to 138, inclusive, together.
Under Section 29 of the Education Act 1998, parents or students who have reached the age of 18 years, can make an appeal to the Secretary General of my Department where a board of management or a person acting on behalf of the board of management, permanently excludes a student from a school, or suspends a student for 20 or more school days in any school year or refuses to enrol a student.
The following table gives details on the number of section 29 appeals processed by my Department for the years 2014 to 2016. This table includes details on each category of appeal taken under section 29 of the Education Act, 1998 for these years and the outcome of appeals.
My Department does not collate statistics on section 29 appeals by reference to pupils who attend special schools or special classes. However, the section 29 application form does ask parents to indicate if their child has special educational needs.
In 2014, of the 225 appeals that went to a full hearing 58 appellants would have indicated that their child has special educational needs.
In 2015, of the 231 appeals that went to a full hearing 64 of the appellants would have indicated their child has special educational needs.
In 2016, of the 218 appeals that went to a full hearing 65 of the appellants would have indicated on the application form that their child has special educational needs.
Section 29 Appeals 2014-2016
|
Year |
Resolved before hearing |
Upheld at hearing |
Not upheld at hearing |
Total number of appeals |
|
|
2014 |
Permanent Exclusion |
13 |
18 |
24 |
55 |
|
2014 |
Refusal to enrol |
170 |
59 |
116 |
345 |
|
2014 |
Suspension |
3 |
6 |
2 |
11 |
|
TOTAL 2014 |
411 |
||||
|
2015 |
Permanent Exclusion |
11 |
16 |
39 |
66 |
|
2015 |
Refusal to enrol |
140 |
61 |
110 |
311 |
|
2015 |
Suspension |
2 |
3 |
2 |
7 |
|
TOTAL 2015 |
384 |
||||
|
2016 |
Permanent Exclusion |
7 |
23 |
35 |
65 |
|
2016 |
Refusal to enrol |
160 |
69 |
84 |
313 |
|
2016 |
Suspension |
2 |
4 |
3 |
9 |
|
TOTAL 2016 |
387 |
