Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 483: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of appeals taken under section 29 of the Education Act 1998 by parents to his Department in each year over the past five years, in connection with the decision to appeal an enrolment decision by various schools here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33596/08]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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Enrolment decisions are the responsibility of the Board of Management of each individual 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. In these circumstances, the school is obliged to inform parents of their right under Section 29 of Education Act 1998 to appeal that decision. Where the school is established or maintained by a VEC an appeal shall lie in the first instance to the VEC and thereafter to the Secretary General of my Department. It is only where an appeal under Section 29 is upheld that the Secretary General of my Department may direct a school to enrol or re-instate a pupil.

The information requested by the Deputy is detailed in the following table. It breaks down appeals to the Secretary General by year and between the Primary and Post Primary sectors.