Written answers

Wednesday, 20 April 2016

Department of Education and Skills

School Enrolments

Photo of Éamon Ó CuívÉamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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448. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the rules and criteria for entry to primary schools; whether the current rules can be outlined; whether there are rules or guidelines; whether she enforces or supervises them and if they are effective; whether the parish and catchment rules apply to all schools; to outline the appeal system against a school decision and the statistics available for past appeals; if a school (details supplied) in Dublin 5 is under the scheme and how children from areas some miles away are selected while locals are not given a place but put on a waiting list; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7815/16]

Photo of Jan O'SullivanJan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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The Department's Rules for National Schools provides that the compulsory school starting age in a National School is 6 years of age and that a child must be at least 4 years of age before she/he may be enrolled in a National School. Although children are not obliged to attend school until the age of six, most children begin school in the September following their fourth birthday.

It is the responsibility of the managerial authorities of all schools to implement an enrolment policy in accordance with the Education Act, 1998. This enrolment policy must be non-discriminatory and must be applied fairly in respect of all applicants.

My Department's main responsibility is to ensure that schools in an area can, between them, cater for all pupils seeking school places in the area. Parents can choose which school to apply to and where the school has places available the pupil should be admitted. However, in schools where there are more applicants than places available a selection process may be necessary and this may result in some pupils not obtaining a place in the school of their first choice.

Section 29 of the Education Act, 1998 provides for an appeal by a parent or guardian to the Secretary General of my Department, or in the case of an Educational Training Board (ETB) school to the ETB in the first instance, where a Board of Management of a school, or a person acting on behalf of the Board, refuses to enrol a student in a school, expels a student or suspends a student for 20 or more days in any school year. Further information on the Section 29 appeals process is available on the Department's website www.education.ie.

I can advise the Deputy that during 2015 a total of 143 appeals against refusal to enrol decisions by primary schools were taken; 67 of which were withdrawn or resolved before the formal hearing; 29 of which were upheld and 47 of which were not upheld.

The Educational Welfare Service of the Child and Family Agency (EWS) is the statutory agency which can assist parents who are experiencing difficulty in securing a school place for their child. The EWS can be contacted at 01-7718500.

The Education (Admission to Schools) Bill, which was published in April of last year, contained a number of important changes to make enrolment policies fairer and more transparent. It was not possible to bring this complex piece of legislation through both Houses of the Oireachtas in the timeframe available. However, I have made it clear that a legislative framework for school admissions is required and that this needs to be a priority for the next government.

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