John Curran (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

163. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if a person (details supplied) who was recently expelled from school can avail of the home tuition scheme. [9199/17]

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

My Department operates a home tuition grant scheme for children, aged from 6 to 16, who are temporarily without a school place and actively seeking a school place. If a child is over 16 years and has had three year post primary education, they are not eligible for this scheme.

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. 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 this Departments website at

Or by contacting Section 29 Administration Unit, Friars Mill Road, Mullingar, Co. Westmeath, phone 0761 108588.