Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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473. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding the autonomy schools have to set their own enrolment policy; if there are national guidelines or rules around enrolment policies; the circumstances in which the Department may intervene if a suitable school place cannot be secured for a child in their local community; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44172/14]

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.

Equality legislation, which also outlaws discrimination in relation to the admission of a student, makes provision for exemptions to apply in the case of single sex schools and in the case of schools where the objective is to provide education in an environment that promotes certain religious values. The legislation provides that any school that has this objective may admit a student of a particular religious denomination in preference to other students.

Section 29 of the Education Act 1998, provides parents with an appeal process where a board of management of a school or a person acting on behalf of the Board refuses enrolment to a student. Where a school refuses to enrol a pupil, the school is obliged to inform parents of their right under Section 29 of the Education Act 1998 to appeal that decision to either the relevant Educational Training Board or to the Secretary General of my Department.

The Child and Family Agency, is the statutory agency which can assist parents who are experiencing difficulty in securing a school place for their child. The Agency can be contacted at 01 6352854 or by E-mail at info@tusla.ie.

The Deputy may be aware that the Government gave approval in March of this year for drafting the Education (Admission to Schools) Bill 2014 and drafting is currently underway.

The objective of the Admission to Schools Bill is to provide an over-arching framework to ensure that how schools decide on who is enrolled and who is refused a place in schools is more structured, fair and transparent.

A key objective in designing the framework is to create greater confidence for parents that the admission criteria laid down by schools are legitimate, reasonable and fair.