Written answers

Wednesday, 8 May 2019

Department of Education and Skills

School Enrolments

Photo of Danny Healy-RaeDanny Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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354. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if priority access to a local secondary school will be given to those who live in the local catchment area and attend primary school there in the case of pupils that are going on to secondary level education (details supplied). [19549/19]

Photo of Joe McHughJoe McHugh (Donegal, Fine Gael)
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The question of enrolment in individual schools is the responsibility of the managerial authority of those schools. It is the responsibility of the managerial authorities of schools to implement an enrolment policy in accordance with the Education Act 1998 and the Education (Admission to Schools) Act 2018.

My Department's main responsibility is to ensure that schools in an area can, between them, cater for all pupils seeking places. Parents have the right to 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.

As the Deputy is aware the Education (Admission to Schools) Act 2018, which was signed into law by the President on the 18th July 2018, is an important piece of legislation which will introduce a more parent-friendly, equitable and consistent approach to how school admissions policy operates for the almost 4,000 primary and post-primary schools in this country and a fair and balanced school admission process for all pupils.

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