Brendan Ryan (Dublin North, Labour)
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346. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Questions Nos. 153 and 154 of 11 March 2014, if his Department applies or ensures any fairness measurement to the clear procedures regarding the way places are allocated to students for transition year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13476/14]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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As the Deputy will be aware, the Transition Year (TY) is a one-year programme that forms the first year of a three-year senior cycle. It is designed to act as a bridge between the Junior Certificate and Leaving Certificate programmes. The TY programme is available to all second level schools.

Each school designs its own Transition Year programme to suit the needs and interests of its students. A Transition Year Programmes document published by my Department provides overarching guidelines on the Transition Year.

The management authority of each school carries responsibility for making decisions regarding the Transition Year Programme in that school. In some schools, the programme is compulsory for all students. In those that offer it as an option, circumstances may arise where it is necessary to limit the number of students who can avail of it.

It is the board of management of each individual school that decides the number of places available to students on programmes such as Transition Year. In cases where restrictions apply, the procedures regarding how places are allocated to students are a matter for the school itself.