Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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Question 488: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the options available to a person (details supplied) in County Wexford who has been unable to secure a place in their first choice girls secondary school and has been told by the only other all girls school that they can not consider them until September 2009 and not 2008 when they are due to enter secondary school and wants to attend an all girl school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6027/08]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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Enrolment in individual schools is the responsibility of the managerial authority of those schools. My Department's main responsibility is to ensure that the schools in an area can, between them, cater for all pupils seeking places. This may result, however, in some pupils not obtaining a place in the school of their first choice. It is the responsibility of the managerial authorities of schools that are not in a position to admit all pupils seeking entry to implement an enrolment policy in accordance with the Education Acts. However, in formulating an admissions policy a school must ensure it is lawful. In particular, it must act in accordance with section 7 of the Equal Status Act 2000 which, subject to very limited exceptions, prohibits schools from discriminating against people in relation to a number of matters including the admission of a pupil to the school. 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 student, the school is obliged to inform parents of their right under section 29 of the 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 student. 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 board can be contacted at National Educational Welfare Board, National Headquarters, 16-22 Green Street, Dublin 7 or by telephone at 01-8738700.