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

Essentially these amendments tidy up definitions and make them consistent in the section dealing with admissions and in section 29. Amendment No. 2 inserts a number of additional definitions into the new section 29. The definitions that are included in Part X and have now been inserted for the purpose of section 29, from section 29A to section 29F, include the definition of the "Act 2018", "annual admission notice", "school", "special class", and "special educational needs". The Act of 2018 has also been substituted instead of the full title of the Act for brevity in the definitions of "oversubscribed" and "school year".

Amendment No. 3 substitutes the word "matters" for matter, and inserts the plural of the word to ensure that the Minister can include more than one matter in procedures under this section, if necessary.

Amendment No. 4 substitutes the correct reference to 'therefor" in this provision.

Amendment No. 6 deletes the words, "in the case of an appeal brought by a parent or a student," from this provision. The current wording enables this provision to apply only to cases where an appeal is made by the parent or a student and does not allow for a situation where the independent person appointed by the agency makes an appeal. Deleting these words ensures that in all of these cases, the committee should consider the NCSE or agency submissions.

Amendment No. 9 is a proofing amendment to ensure consistency of language with the Bill's existing provisions that reflect the reality that it is the school principal rather than the school or the board who implements the schools admission policy. The relevant provision in the Bill refers only to the board making a decision to refuse admission and the amendment corrects this error.

Amendment No. 12 is a technical amendment to delete the full title of the Act and substitute "the Act of 2018" for brevity as this has been defined for Part X.