Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent)
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Question 436: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the options which are open to a person whose section 29 appeal to have their child enrolled in a school (details supplied) in County Kildare was not upheld as regards the school placement of the child; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36428/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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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. It is only in cases where an appeal under section 29 is upheld that the Secretary General of my Department may direct the school to enrol a pupil.

The National Educational Welfare Board, NEWB, can assist parents who are experiencing difficulty in securing a school place for their child. The NEWB has indicated to my Department that it will treat children for whom an appeal under section 29 has been unsuccessful as priority cases in offering such assistance. In the particular case referred to by the Deputy, the appeals committee did not uphold the appeal but in its determination, the committee recommended that the educational welfare officer, EWO, in consultation with a special educational needs organiser, SENO, should seek an appropriate educational placement for the child. Both the EWO and the SENO were involved in the processing of the appeal and both have been informed of the outcome of the appeal and of the committee's recommendations. I understand the EWO has already been in contact with the family in this regard.