Gay Mitchell (Dublin South Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 220: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if she will provide a school place for a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12123/07]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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Enrolment decisions are the responsibility of the Board of Management of each individual school. My Department has no role in relation to processing applications for enrolment by schools.

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. Where an appeal under Section 29 is upheld, the Secretary General of my Department may direct a school to enrol a pupil.

The National Educational Welfare Board (NEWB) is the statutory agency which can assist parents who are experiencing difficulty in securing a school place for their child.

I have been informed by the NEWB that the mother applied for Home Education Assessment which was carried out in November 2006. The child was then registered as being in receipt of Home Education. Following on from this the mother subsequently contacted the NEWB with regard to finding a school place for her child and an Educational Welfare Officer will assist her with sourcing a suitable placement in a school.