Oireachtas ‘should look’ at positive discrimination

A JUDGE has called on the Oireachtas to examine the possibility of mandatory positive discrimination in schools to ensure no group — such as the Travelling community — is excluded from enrolment.

Judge Thomas Teehan made his comments in a circuit court ruling in which he found that the High School in Clonmel did operate a “discriminatory” policy against Travellers by using a “parental rule” when there were more applicants than places in first year.

However, the judge said the policy was justified, appropriate and necessary to fulfil the school’s family ethos and to create an admissions policy which was “proportionate and balanced”.