Olwyn Enright (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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Question 432: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the position of an appeal in respect of a student (details supplied) in County Offaly who was refused admission to a school; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12843/09]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, 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. 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 either the relevant Vocational Educational Committee or to the Secretary General of my Department. In the case of the latter, only where an appeal under Section 29 is upheld can the Secretary General of my Department direct a school to enrol a pupil.

Section 29 appeals must be made within 42 days from the date that the decision of the school Board of Management was notified to the parent or student concerned. In this instance, as the appeal for this student was made to my Department after the 42 days time limit had elapsed, regrettably, the appeal could not be admitted. I understand that the child concerned is currently attending six class at Primary school and that the enrolment application was in respect of a secondary school placement for the September 2009/10 school year.

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. The NEWB advises parents to apply to more than one school in order to assist in securing a school placement. The Board can be contacted at National Educational Welfare Board, National Headquarters, 16-22 Green Street, Dublin 7 or by telephone at 01-8738700