Written answers

Wednesday, 2 March 2005

Department of Education and Science

School Accommodation

9:00 pm

Photo of Paul KehoePaul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 209: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the secondary school students to attend from the primary school areas (details supplied) following a decision that their areas are outside the official catchment area (details supplied); if she has done a check on these secondary schools to see if there are places available for these students from the areas supplied; if she will meet a parents representative from each of the primary school areas to let them outline their concerns; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7108/05]

Photo of Mary HanafinMary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

For the purposes of post-primary education provision, the country is divided into catchment areas, each of which has its own post-primary education centre. The catchment boundaries were determined following consultation with local educational interests and the intention was that certain primary schools would feed exclusively into each centre. My Department provides accommodation to meet the educational needs of an area on this basis.

Allowing pupils from outside a catchment area to enrol in a particular school can impact negatively on those who reside within the area and who are entitled, as of right, to a place. It invariably also impacts negatively on the school or schools to which these pupils should rightly attend and in which considerable capital investment has been made for this purpose. It is a matter for all school authorities, in the context of their enrolment policies, to limit enrolment to within their catchment area to ensure that this situation does not arise. A school authority may offer places to pupils from outside the catchment area only it does not have repercussions for additional accommodation.

The primary schools referred to by the Deputy are in the catchment areas of Kilmuckridge, Carnew and Arklow. These catchment areas have a total of five post-primary schools between them. An examination of enrolment trends in these schools has been carried out by school planning section for the purposes of ensuring that there is sufficient accommodation to cater for demand for post-primary pupil places. This examination revealed that enrolments in all five schools have dropped, in some cases quite dramatically, in the past ten years. In the circumstances, the school planning section is satisfied that there is ample accommodation for the pupils in question to attend post-primary schools in their own catchment areas.

Where a board of management of one of these schools or a person acting on behalf of the board has refused to enrol a student, section 29 of the Education Act 1998 provides parents with an appeal process to the Secretary General of my Department. Where an appeal under section 29 is upheld, the Secretary General may direct a school to enrol a pupil.

In all the circumstances, it is not my intention to meet with the groups to which the Deputy refers at this time.

Photo of Paul KehoePaul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 210: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if her attention has been drawn to the problems that have arisen in a secondary school (details supplied) in County Wexford where 43 pupils have been turned away as there is no place available to them in the school; the plans she has to rectify the problem; if she has spoken to her Department officials on this matter; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7109/05]

Photo of Mary HanafinMary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

An application is currently being considered from this school to improve accommodation in September.

Comments

No comments

Log in or join to post a public comment.