Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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212. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the reason the consultation period regarding the schools' admission policies has been significantly reduced from 12 weeks to four weeks; if he will restore the timeframe having regard for the voluntary make up of schools boards of management and to allow for the greatest possible on the ground participation and feedback; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7288/17]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy is aware I have recently commenced a consultation process on the role of denominational religion in the school admission process and possible approaches for making changes.

I believe that it is unfair that preference is given by publicly-funded religious schools to children of their own religion who might live some distance away, ahead of children of a different religion or of no religion who live close to the school.

I also believe that it is unfair that parents, who might otherwise not do so, feel pressure to baptise their children in order to gain admission to the local school and I intend to reform the school admissions system in relation to the role that religion can play in that process.

I have set out four possible approaches for dealing with the issue, in primary schools in the first instance, including:

- A catchment area approach, prohibiting religious schools from giving preference to children of their own religion who live outside the catchment area ahead of non-religious children who live inside the catchment;

- A ‘nearest school rule’, allowing religious schools to give preference to a religious child only where it is that child’s nearest school of that particular religion;

- A quota system, which would allow a religious school give preference to children of its own religion in respect of only a certain proportion of places, meaning that the remaining places would be allocated based on other admissions criteria – proximity to the school, lottery etc.;

- An outright prohibition on religious schools using religion as a factor in admissions, meaning that all places would be allocated based on other factors. Within this approach, there is capacity to allow religious schools to require parents or students to indicate some support or respect for the ethos of the school.

I am also mindful of the need to avoid possible pitfalls and unintended consequences with each of these approaches, including most importantly possible impacts on minority religions and on the wishes of Protestant, Jewish, Islamic and other communities to be able to run schools in accordance with their ethos and admit children from their communities to attend those schools.

Other possible consequences to be avoided include possible breaches of the constitution, technical and administrative difficulties impacting on the capacity to effectively run the system of over 4000 schools and the possibility of creating ‘postcode lotteries’, such as other countries have experienced, resulting in pronounced divergence in the quality of schools in more advantaged compared to less advantaged areas.

I initially allocated 4 weeks for receipt of submissions to the consultation, however, I received a number of representations from stakeholder groups who stand to potentially be impacted by any changes, coming from different sides of the debates involved, as well as from Oireachtas colleagues on different sides of the Houses urging that the time period for the consultation be extended.

I have also been made aware of the impact of the mid-term break and the need to allow groups who depend on volunteers, such as the boards of management of schools, to have the time to consult their members and communities and submit responses which are properly considered and comprehensive.  I am anxious to facilitate the fullest possible engagement from all stakeholders and I recognise and appreciate the work and commitment of members of boards of management and I value their input in this consultation.

Consequently, I have announced an extension of the time period for the receipt of written submissions in this consultation process by 4 weeks, meaning that the new deadline is Monday 20 March. This means that the total time available for written submissions is 8 weeks.

This phase of receiving written submissions is part of the broader 12 week consultation process which will include additional steps, including any follow-up consultation that is required, collation of responses and development of next steps. These steps will require additional time, and I am conscious of legislative deadlines impacting on this work, in particular the Equal Status (Admissions to Schools Bill) which is due before the House again shortly.