Maurice Quinlivan (Limerick City, Sinn Fein)
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200. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to a person (details supplied) who has been diagnosed with behavioural disorder and has been without a school placement since September 2017; the measures being taken to secure a suitable school placement for the person; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53113/17]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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The enrolment of a child to a school is a matter, in the first instance, for the parents of the child and the Board of Management of a school. My Department has no role in relation to processing applications for enrolment to schools.

The policy of my Department is to ensure that all children with special educational needs can be provided with an education appropriate to their needs.

Where possible, provision is made for the inclusive education of children with special educational needs. My Department's policy is that students with special educational needs should be included where possible and appropriate in mainstream placements with additional supports provided.

In circumstances where children with special educational needs require more specialised interventions, special school or special class places are provided for.

The National Council for Special Education (NCSE), through its network of Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs), co-ordinates special needs education provision at local level and arranges for the delivery of special educational supports to schools. It is also the role of the NCSE to make appropriate arrangements to establish special classes in schools in communities where the need for such classes has been identified.

SENOs are a valuable source of support to parents who are actively sourcing a placement for their child. The parents of the child referred to by the Deputy are encouraged to contact their local SENO directly to discuss their child's special educational needs and request assistance in identifying educational placements. Contact details are available on www.ncse.ie.

The NCSE also works in collaboration with the Educational Welfare Services (EWS) of the Child and Family Agency which is the statutory agency that can assist parents who are experiencing difficulty in securing a school place for their child or can offer assistance where a child is out of school.

The local service is delivered through the national network of Educational Welfare Officers (EWO). Contact details are available at .

My Department has been advised by the local Educational Welfare Officer that they are liaising with the local SENO to assist the family in seeking a placement for the child referred to by the Deputy and, in the meantime, assisting with an application for home tuition.

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, refuses to enrol a student in a school, expels a student, or suspends a student for 20 or more days in any school year.

My Department has no authority to compel a school to admit a student, 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.