Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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270. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if and when a person (details supplied) might expect to receive notice to the effect that a school place is available for their daughter; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12227/23]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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My Department's main responsibility is to ensure that schools in an area can, between them, cater for all pupils seeking school places in the area. In relation to school admissions, it is the responsibility of the managerial authorities of all schools to implement an enrolment policy in accordance with the Education Act, 1998.

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 will be aware, for school planning purposes, my Department divides the country into 314 school planning areas and utilises a Geographical Information System to anticipate school place demand. Information from a range of sources, including Child Benefit data, school enrolment data and information on residential development activity is used for this purpose. Additionally, Project Ireland 2040 population and housing targets inform my Department's projections of school place requirements. Projections of post primary school place requirements are informed by multiple factors, including primary school enrolments in the area and primary to post primary transfer patterns.

While my Department is aware of increasing pressures and demand for additional school places in Kilcock, it is important to note that where enrolment pressures arise, it may not be as a result of lack of accommodation but may be driven by the following factors:

- Duplication of applications – pupils have applied for a place to a number of schools in the area

- School of choice – pupils can’t get a place in their preferred school while there are places in other schools in the town/area

- Some towns/areas have single sex schools and while places are available in the school they are not available to all pupils

- External draw – pupils coming from outside the local area

My Department is working to establish the true extent of any capacity issues across school planning areas through ongoing discussions with the relevant school patrons and authorities including those in the Kilcock area.

This close engagement will allow my Department to identify at an early stage particular capacity requirements for the forthcoming years which may necessitate further action to that already in train including, where required, the provision of modular accommodation solutions.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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271. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the procedure to be followed to enable of the son of a person (details supplied) who was expelled from their post-primary school (Salesians), leaving him with very limited options other than the danger of falling into bad company; if their case can be treated with compassion in order to give him some option to complete his education given his mother’s commitment to ensuring his compliance with the highest possible standards of behaviour; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12229/23]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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In relation to school admissions, it is the responsibility of the managerial authorities of all 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 school places in that area.

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 will 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.

Where the reason for refusal to enrol a child is due to the school being oversubscribed, a parent/guardian can appeal that decision under section 29 of the Education Act, 1998, and an independent appeals committee will be appointed to consider the appeal. My Department has no authority to compel a school to admit a student, except in circumstances where an appeal under section 29 of the Education Act, 1998 has been allowed and the appeals committee directs that the school admit the child concerned.

Further information on the school admission process is available on the Department of Education website by accessing the following link: www.gov.ie/en/policy-information/c5bd9f-school-enrolment/.

Tusla Education Support Service (TESS) is the agency which can assist parents who are experiencing difficulty in securing a school place for their child. TESS can be contacted at 01-7718500/tessinfo@tusla.ie for assistance. More information on school attendance is available on their website on the following link: www.tusla.ie/tess/tess-ews/. The following link provides relevant phone numbers for the Education Welfare Officers assigned to various areas around the country: Tusla Education Support Service - TESSTusla - Child and Family Agency.