Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 49:

In page 8, between lines 17 and 18, to insert the following:

"Annual admission notice

63.(1) Subject to this Act and any regulations made under this Act, the board of a school shall, each year, prepare a notice (in this Part referred to as an 'annual admission notice') in respect of the admission of students to the intake group of the school for the school year concerned.(2) The board shall, prior to accepting applications for admission to the school for the school year concerned, in the prescribed manner and within the prescribed period, publish the annual admission notice.

(3) An annual admission notice shall—

(a) provide details in relation to how to obtain—

(i) a copy of the school’s admission policy, and

(ii) an application form for admission to the school,

(b) subject to subsection (4) and any regulations under section 65, set out—

(i) the date on which the school shall commence accepting applications for admission to the school for the school year concerned,

(ii) the date on which the school shall cease accepting applications for admission to the school for the school year concerned, which date shall be at least 3 weeks after the date referred to in subparagraph (i),

(iii) the date by which an applicant shall be notified of the decision in relation to his or her application,

(iv) the date by which an applicant shall confirm his or her acceptance of an offer of admission,

(c) set out the number of places being made available in the intake group for the school year concerned including:

(i) in the case of a boarding school, the number of residential and the number of non-residential places; and

(ii) in the case of a school with a special class, the number of places in the special class concerned;

which numbers shall not be decreased after publication of the annual admission notice,

(d) in the case of a school which, in the previous school year was oversubscribed, a statement setting out the number of applications received and the number and order of offers made in the previous school year in respect of each of the school’s selection criteria,

(e) include such other information as may be prescribed in regulations under section 65.

(4) In relation to—

(a) a boarding school, different dates may be provided under subsection (3)(b) in respect of the residential and the non-residential places in the school concerned, and

(b) a school with a special class, different dates may be provided under subsection (3)(b) in respect of places in the special class concerned.".

Amendment No. 49 introduces a requirement that a board shall prepare and publish an annual admission notice before applications for admission can be accepted. This requirement is separate to the requirement to prepare and publish an admission policy, which should be done within three months of the commencement of the provision and thereafter whenever it is intended to make any changes to the admission policy. The annual admission notice sets out how the admission policy and application forms can be obtained and the dates for the admission process.

The number of places being offered in the intake group and, where a school has previously been oversubscribed, the number of applications received in the previous year and the number and order of offers made in the previous school year in respect of each of the school's oversubscription criteria will also be set out in the annual admission notice. The number of places being offered in the intake group, as set out in this notice, shall not be decreased. Different dates may be set out for the admission of students with special educational needs and to the residential element of boarding schools.

This amendment will provide greater clarity and transparency for both applicants and schools. The admission notice will provide a clear picture each year for applicants of the timeframe for transacting the admission process and of the number of places available.

Amendments Nos. 87, 151, 157 and 167 to 175, inclusive, are consequential numbering amendments from amendment No. 49.