Eoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

387. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills regarding the Section 29 appeal process as a result of oversubscription of a school, if there is any flexibility in relation to the 63-day timeframe; if school holidays are counted as days; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11233/23]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Section 29F(1) (c) of the Education Act 1998, as inserted by section 7 of the Education (Admissions to school) Act 2018, states :

29F.(1) An appeals committee shall refuse to hear or determine, or refuse to continue to hear or determine, an appeal under section 29 where—

(c) an appeal has not been made within the period specified in procedures under section 29B

The procedures for hearing and determining appeals under section 29 (1) (c) (i) and 29 (1) (ii), which relate to refusal to enrol appeals, provide that an appeal must be made no later than 63 calendar days from the date of the decision by the Board of Management of a school to refuse admission.

The section 29 appeals committee is therefore legally bound to adhere to these time frames when considering such appeals.

In determining whether an appeal was lodged within the required 63 days I can confirm that the appeals committee include school holidays in their calculations.