Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Deputy McConalogue covered most points but I have one or two specific questions. One of the tables in the presentation document provided by the Department of Education and Skills states the oversubscription criteria to be permitted. One of these is priority on the basis of attendance in a feeder primary school for enrolment in a post-primary school. Post-primary schools teaching through the medium of Irish have an issue. In my constituency all of the recognised feeder schools for such a post-primary school are English-speaking whereas the Gaelscoileanna in the catchment area are not designated feeder schools. Students taught through the medium of Irish at primary level are not given priority or recognition in terms of being able to enrol at the post-primary school. Will the Department comment on this? How we will get over this particular obstacle?

With regard to education and training boards, the academic interview process for post leaving certificate courses and FETAC courses was mentioned and this is important. Has international research been done on how doing away with the interview process can be facilitated under a proposal in this legislation? Does the Department have any comment on this?

With regard to section 29 and revamping the system, initially additional responsibilities for enrolment processes will be placed on school principals. Perhaps this question can be addressed by Ms O'Connor, Mr. Hanevy and Mr. Loftus. Any appeal would be made to the board of management. What is missing is the fact that in many cases, school principals sit on boards of management. I believe head 7 states where this is the case the school principal will not take part in the appeals process. This will put boards of management in a very difficult position whereby they will be asked to adjudicate on a decision made by a principal who, for every other purpose, meeting and reason will sit on the board of management. A board of management is voluntary in nature and contains parents. What training and expertise will be given to individual boards of management? This is not to mention the additional pressure of possible litigation against a board of management with regard to an appeals process. No one will agree section 29 is ideal, and it needs to be overhauled and made more transparent, but what is proposed in the legislation is not the answer.

I have a question for my own information for Dr. Fennelly from the General Synod Board of Management of Education on the schools it operates. Are many of them oversubscribed as it is? If this is the case the legislation will have a significant impact on its sector.