Schools may be allowed share PPS numbers about children applying for admission places

Schools may be allowed share PPS numbers and other information about children applying for admission places, under proposals by Education Minister Richard Bruton.

He is to introduce the stipulation today in an amendment to his School Admissions Bill at committee stage. A list of planned changes would also see the children and grandchildren of past pupils entitled to priority for up to 25% of places, and a new appeals arrangement where schools refuse to enrol a pupil.

These are aimed at speeding up the process and reducing the possibility of cases being referred to courts. The bill, published last July, already put forward a proposal that the minister could direct school boards in a local area to cooperate with each other in relation to admissions.