Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 6 December 2022
291. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Education the way that the Equal Status Acts 2000-2004 is being implemented in schools and other educational centres, particularly in relation to their admission policy; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [60457/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Education (Admission to Schools) Act 2018, is an important piece of legislation which has introduced a more parent-friendly, equitable and consistent approach to how school admissions policy operates for the almost 4,000 primary and post-primary schools.
The Act provides that all schools must have an Admission Statement as part of the schools admissions policy. The Admission Statement sets out that the school will not discriminate against an applicant on the grounds of gender, civil status, family status, sexual orientation, religion, disability, race, member of traveller community or special educational needs. As per section 61 (3) of the Education Act 1998, ‘gender ground’, ‘civil status ground’, ‘family status ground’, ‘sexual orientation ground’, ‘religion ground’, ‘disability ground’, ‘discriminate’, ‘ground of race’ and ‘Traveller community ground’ are construed in accordance with section 3 of the Equal Status Act 2000.
Section 11 of the Admissions to Schools Act, amended the Equal Status Act 2000 to remove, in the case of recognised primary schools, the provision that permitted such schools to use religion as a selection criterion in school admissions. Schools cannot therefore use religion as a selection criterion. However, there is a provision to ensure that a child of a minority faith, can access a school of their faith.
This provision was introduced in order to be fair to all parents, while recognising the right of all schools to have their distinctive ethos. Consequently, non-denominational families now find that in the majority of primary schools they are treated the same as all other families in school admissions.
Appeals under the Equal Status Act are made to the Work Place Relations Commission (WRC) in the first instance and on further appeal to the courts. Individuals wishing to make an appeal under the Equal Status Act should are advised to contact the Workplace Relations Committee for further information.
