Michael Colreavy (Sligo-North Leitrim, Sinn Fein)
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Question 163: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will urgently arrange for a whole-school evaluation to be carried out on a school (details supplied) in County Sligo; and if he will ensure the evaluation incorporates a detailed examination of the issue which he commented on in Dáil Éireann on 16 November 2011. [41079/11]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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All primary and post-primary schools are subject to external evaluation by my Department's Inspectorate. Evaluations are carried out under published procedures and provide schools and the public with an assessment of the quality of school management, teaching, learning and support for students. These procedures are not intended to encompass individual complaints. For obvious reasons it is not possible to give advance notice of when any particular school may be scheduled for an inspection.

In accordance with my Department's role, I wish to advise the Deputy that my officials have provided clarity to the parent of the pupil in question on how the complaint against the school can be progressed. My officials also wrote to the HSE seeking their advice on the matter.

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. I also understand from my officials that the NEWB recently wrote to the parents of the pupil in question with a view to meeting them to discuss the case.