The Minister for Education says new legislation on enrolment procedures will ensure schools will no longer be able to turn away children with learning difficulties.

The decision by Education Minister Ruairi Quinn to ban schools from charging fees for enrolment for admission years in advance of attendance should be warmly welcomed.

New school admissions regulations aim to make enrolment much more transparent for parents, following years of complaints about how principals and boards deal with applications.

Schools will no longer be allowed charge enrolment fees, open admissions years before students arrive, or give priority to children of past pupils under radical Government plans.