Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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289. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if it is appropriate that some schools request information on the school application/enrolment form for pupils as to whether or not the pupils are members of the Traveller community; and if her Department is aware of any good reason this information should be sought; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31107/14]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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It is the responsibility of the managerial authorities of all schools to implement an enrolment policy in accordance with the Education Act, 1998. In this regard a Board of Management may find it necessary to restrict enrolment to children from a particular area or a particular age group or on the basis of some other criterion. The criteria to be applied by schools in such circumstances are a matter for the schools themselves. This selection process and the enrolment policy on which it is based must be non-discriminatory and must be applied fairly in respect of all applicants. Under section 15 (2) (d) of the Education Act 1998, each school is legally obliged to publish its enrolment policy.

School enrolment policies and practices are also covered by equality legislation which prohibits discrimination on nine distinct grounds including membership of the traveller community.

While there is no provision explicitly prohibiting schools from doing so, it is not considered necessary or appropriate that a school request information relating to an applicant's membership of the traveller community as part of its enrolment form.

As the Deputy is aware, the Government gave approval in March of this year 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.

The 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.