Kevin O'Keeffe (Cork East, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

221. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will assist in having a child (details supplied) in County Cork allocated a place at a specific special needs school. [3077/17]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

My Department has no role in relation to processing applications for enrolment to schools. The enrolment of a child to a school is a matter, in the first instance, for the parents/guardians of the child and the Board of Management of a school.

Parents of children with special educational needs who may need advice or are experiencing difficulties in locating a school placement or are having difficulties with enrolment should contact their local Special Educational Needs Organiser (SENO) as soon as possible for information on available places. The local SENO contact details are available onwww.ncse.ie.

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. 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. However, 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, 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. 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 taking a section 29 appeal are available on my Department's website at the following:

link: , or by contacting Section 29 Administration Unit, Friars Mill Road, Mullingar, Co. Westmeath, phone 0761 108588. Appeals should be taken within 42 days from receipt of written notification from the school's Board of Management.