Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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Question 376: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if she has granted permission to boards of management to seek an admittance fee from the parents of children seeking to register their children for the first time; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10063/08]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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It is a fundamental principle of the Free Post-Primary Education Scheme that schools participating in the scheme do not charge parents in respect of:

instruction in any subject of my Department's programme for Secondary Schools;

recreation or study facilities where all the pupils are expected to avail themselves of these as part of the school programme;

any other activities in which all pupils are required to take part.

Voluntary contributions by parents or charges for optional extras over and above what is provided for in the general school programme are permissible under the scheme, provided it is made absolutely clear to parents that there is no question of compulsion to pay, and, that in making a contribution, they are doing so of their own volition. Schools are allowed to charge a booking fee when considering applicants for enrolment, provided this is refundable following a decision on enrolment. Booking fees are sometimes required by schools in order to avoid "double booking" of pupils in schools that could result in the loss of teachers.