Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 247: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if a person (details supplied) in County Kildare will obtain a place at a college (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18838/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The National Educational Welfare Board is the statutory agency which can assist parents who are experiencing difficulty in securing a school place for their child. The parents of the child referred to by the Deputy have been advised to contact the senior educational welfare officer for the area to seek assistance in this matter.

My Department has also written to the parents informing them of their right, under section 29 of the Education Act 1998, to appeal a decision by any recognised school to refuse enrolment to their child. Section 29 of the Education Act 1998 provides parents with an appeal process where a board of management of a school or a person acting on behalf of the board refuses enrolment to a student. Where a school refuses to enrol a pupil, the school is obliged to inform parents of their right under section 29 of Education Act 1998 to appeal that decision to the Secretary General of my Department.

It must be stressed that my Department has no authority to compel a school to admit a pupil, except in the case of an appeal under section 29 of the Education Act 1998 against a refusal to enrol and where that appeal is upheld. Information in relation to the section 29 appeals procedures, including an appeals application form and contact details for the relevant section of my Department, have been sent to the parents of the child referred to by the Deputy. To date, no such appeal has been lodged with my Department.