Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Social Democrats)
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198. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he can challenge an overturning by third parties directly affected with regard to the expulsion of a student from a secondary school and the subsequent overturning of the expulsion by the school board; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17026/16]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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The position regarding expulsions is that 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 Education and 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, expels a student.

In the case of a school which is established or maintained by an ETB, an appeal against a decision of the board of such a school shall lie, in the first instance, to the ETB and thereafter to the Secretary General of my Department. In general, appeals must be made within 42 days of receipt of the Board of Management's decision.

My Department has no authority to compel a school to admit a pupil, except in the case of an appeal under section 29 of the Education Act, 1998 being upheld.

Application forms for Section 29 Appeals are available on my Departments website at the following link: or from Section 29 Appeals Unit, Friars Mill Road, Mullingar, Co. Westmeath, Phone: 0761 108588.