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

This amendment prohibits oversubscribed schools from prioritising the children of staff or board of management members in an admissions policy. It is a reasonable position that an oversubscribed school may give priority to children of staff where it wishes to do so. For example, there is the perspective of facilitating families and it appears sensible that a teacher working in a school distant from his or her home could also have his or her children attend the school rather than having to make arrangements for them to attend elsewhere. I understand this arrangement does not apply to other workers but, on balance and having regard to the need to retain and support our teachers in their work, it is reasonable to allow schools to give such a priority if they so wish. This is not an obligation and they have that option. With regard to prohibiting prioritisation of children of board members, I am not aware of any evidence that this is a practice used by schools. In any case it would, if used, have very little, if any, impact on admission in most schools. I do not consider that these matters cause a problem in school admission.

I recall that this matter was raised by Deputy Brendan Ryan on Committee Stage. I asked the Deputy at the time to provide any evidence he may have on the matter or whether this was a problem in school admission policies. He had the opportunity to do so up to Report Stage last month but I did not receive any such evidence. I cannot agree to the amendment.