John Halligan (Waterford, Independent)
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39. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when he will be making a formal decision in relation to school enrolment policy; when we can expect to see legislative proposals; if he will be broadly following in the UK's footsteps by bringing enrolment policy in line with postcodes, now that we ourselves are to be allocated postcodes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23361/14]

Ciarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy is aware, last September, I published a draft General Scheme for an Education (Admission to Schools) Bill, 2013 as well as draft regulations for discussion ahead of enacting legislation. I have stated that my aim in bringing forward legislative proposals in relation to school admission is to improve the admissions process and to ensure that the way schools decide on applications is structured, fair and transparent. The framework also proposes a mechanism for ensuring that every child receives a school place. The draft General Scheme for an Education (Admission to Schools) Bill, 2013 and draft regulations are published on my Department's website. The Government gave approval in March for drafting the Education (Admissions to Schools) Bill 2014 and the General Scheme has since been referred to the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel to the Government for drafting.

In relation to the UK approach, it is assumed that the Deputy is referring to the availability in the UK of an online map facility which, upon entering a person's postcode, identifies the schools that include that particular postcode area within their catchment area. The Department understands that this facility simply provides information to parents and others about those schools which enrol children from a particular area but does not in itself guarantee a place or put any obligation on schools in relation to the use of catchment areas.

Regarding the use of catchment area as an oversubscription criteria, it should be noted that the approach in the draft regulations published alongside the Draft General Scheme was to specify certain oversubscription criteria which would not be permissible. Otherwise the draft regulations provide that schools would have discretion to determine their own oversubscription criteria, including whether to apply a catchment area.