Tony McLoughlin (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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333. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the measures he has taken to ensure that the patrons opening any new primary schools here are required to serve the catchment for the area they were set up to serve; if his attention has been drawn to concerns that some primary schools established in recent years in areas of high population growth operate an enrolment policy drawing pupils from wider than the immediate catchment area; the measures he has taken to ensure that patron bodies respect and prioritise pupils from the local catchment area over other pupils; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10231/17]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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Each new school is established to meet a projected demographic need to cater for children living within a specific school planning area to be served by the school. As part of the process, agreement to a range of commitments must be specifically confirmed in writing by prospective school patrons. These commitments include a requirement that the prospective patron is willing to prioritise enrolment of children in the area for which the Department has identified the need for a school. Failure to indicate agreement with all of the patronage commitments would result in an application being deemed invalid and invalid applications are not assessed further as part of the process.

In this regard, a map of the relevant area for which a new school is being established to serve is published on my Department’s website for clarity and transparency. 

Once a school has been established it becomes the responsibility of the managerial authorities of a school to implement an enrolment policy in accordance with the Education Act, 1998. The enrolment policy must be non-discriminatory and must be applied fairly in respect of all applicants. The 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.

In relation to schools admissions generally, it is my Department's responsibility to ensure that schools in an area can, between them, cater for all pupils seeking school places in an 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.

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.