Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent)
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Question 71: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the arrangements he will put in place to ensure that a school placement will be arranged for a student (details supplied) in County Tipperary who has been out of school since September in view of the fact that there have been no placements available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37952/11]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Section 29 of the Education Act, 1998 provides for an appeal by a parent or guardian to the Secretary General of my Department, or in the case of a Vocational Educational Committee (VEC) school to the VEC in the first instance, where a Board of Management of a school, or a person acting on behalf of the Board, refuses to enrol a student in a school, expels a student or suspends a student for 20 or more days in any school year. My Department has no authority to compel a school to admit a pupil, except in the case of an appeal under section 29 of the Education Act, 1998 being upheld.

I understand the parents of the pupil in question lodged a Section 29 Appeal against the decision of the school to suspend him. I further understand that while the appeal was upheld and the pupil returned to school, he has recently been permanently excluded from the school. It is open to the parents to lodge a Section 29 Appeal against this decision.

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 may be able to offer assistance and advice on securing a school placement within the pupil's area. The contact details for the NEWB in Co Tipperary is National Educational Welfare Board, Heritage Business Park, Bessboro Road, Mahon, Cork, phone number 021 4536314.

The Deputy will be aware that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible for the provision of a range of educational services at local and national level for students with special educational needs. In particular, its network of Special Education Needs Organisers (SENOs) co-ordinates special needs education provision at local level and arranges for the delivery of special educational services. The SENOs act as single points of contact for parents of students with special educational needs.

Another specific function of the SENO is to identify available educational placements for children with special educational needs. SENOs are a valuable source of support to parents who are actively sourcing a placement for their children. I have arranged for the information provided by the Deputy to be forwarded to the NCSE for their attention and direct reply.