Albert Dolan (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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479. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will review enrolment policies for students with diagnosed language disorders who are professionally recommended to attend specialist language units for part of their primary education; and if she will ensure that such students are not disadvantaged in accessing second-level school places in their local community as a result of attending a language school outside their normal catchment area. [61015/25]

Albert Dolan (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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480. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the measures in place, and the further action that will be taken, to guarantee equitable access to second-level education for children who must attend specialist settings due to a language-based disability, so that they are not penalised in the admissions process for circumstances beyond their control. [61016/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 479 and 480 together.

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. Parents have the right to choose which school to apply to and where the school has places available for the relevant year, the student 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 students not obtaining a place in the school of their first choice.

In accordance with the provisions of the Education (Admission to Schools) Act 2018, schools are required to clearly set out their selection criteria in their admission policies. The criteria to be applied by schools and the order of priority are a matter for the schools themselves. Schools can include schools were pupils attend Special Classes for Children with Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) in their selection criterion should they wish to do so. It is an important feature of the act that schools can only make a decision on an application for admission that is based on the school’s admission policy.

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 is available on their website on the following link: www.tusla.ie/tess/tess-ews/.