Labour bids to stop schools reserving places for children of former pupils

The bill is being tabled by Dublin Bay North TD Aodhan Ó Riordain. Picture: Gareth Chaney/Collins

Labour has tabled a bill which would stop schools reserving places for children or grandchildren of former pupils.

The Education (Admission to Schools) (Amendment) Bill 2020 seeks to stop the practice currently carried out, mostly in secondary schools, which Labour says puts many children at a disadvantage.

The bill is being tabled by Dublin Bay North TD Aodhan Ó Riordain, who says that in its current state, the law passed by Fine Gael under then-Education Minister Richard Bruton in 2018 "effectively means at any school can put aside 25% of its intake for the children or grandchildren of past pupils."

The 2018 law was intended to remove barriers, particularly on grounds of religion, to primary and post-primary school admission. 

"There's certain vested interests in Irish education, particularly at second level, who want to keep the royal blue line of succession within their schools, they want to be able to count on the income of the parents and the grandparents, or past pupils for fundraising," he said.
"They want to keep this identity of their school and Irish society, of this 'old schoolboy', disproportionately schoolboy, but it is a schoolgirl phenomenon as well.
"'My father went there. My grandfather went there'.
"So, if you're somebody whose father didn't go to second level, mother didn't go to second level or grandparents didn't go to second level. Why should you be at a disadvantage?

"Surely the system should almost crack turn itself over to facilitate somebody whose parents didn't go to second level or grandparents didn't go to second level.
"The Republic means it doesn't matter who your parents are, it doesn't matter who your grandparents are.

"Surely some of the basic things we should agree in this chamber is that we live in the Republic. We stand by that Republic and it's not just a word, it's an ethos, it's an ethic, and it goes to everything we do and it should be the litmus test of any piece of any legislation.

"This element of the school admissions act is something that means that children don't enter into that process on the same basis, is something that needs to be removed."

The Bill has been backed by most of the opposition including Sinn Féin and the Social Democrats.

Louise O'Reilly said the bill had "its basis in equality" and said she was shocked that the government wouldn't automatically back the bill.

"The old school tie network" brings access to the highest levels of government, she added, saying that it had been apparent in the Dáil over the last week. 

Education Minister Norma Foley said she was not aware of how many schools use the provision and that she would look into reviewing the the law.

TDs will vote on the bill on Wednesday.