John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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Question 439: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the action she has taken to date in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny; if her officials' attention has been drawn to the problem and the action they have taken to assist this person and their mother; if she will put in place as a matter of urgency a programme of education for this person; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11772/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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Section 29 of the Education Act 1998 provides parents with an appeal process to the Secretary General of my Department where a board of management of a school or a person acting on behalf of the board refuses enrolment of a student. In the case of a school established or maintained by a vocational education committee, an appeal against the decision of the board of management of the school is made, in the first instance, to the vocational education committee. The National Educational Welfare Board is aware of the person referred to by the Deputy and I understand that the educational welfare officer for County Kilkenny is assisting and advising the parent on her right of appeal. If the parent remains unhappy with the outcome of the appeal process at VEC level, she has an entitlement to make an appeal directly to the Secretary General of my Department.

Where an appeal under section 29 is upheld, the Secretary General of my Department may direct a school to re-admit a pupil. While the appeal process is under way, my Department will, on the recommendation of the EWO, sanction a grant for home tuition hours as an interim education provision while the child is out of school.