How many places should be reserved for the children of former pupils who attended a particular school? Ruairí Quinn, as education minister, favoured an upper limit of 25 per cent. His successor, Jan O'Sullivan, has now proposed reducing the allocation to 10 per cent. But last year the Oireachtas Committee on Education concluded that no priority should be given to applications on behalf of the son or daughter of a former student of a school. Few issues in education are likely to generate more political or public controversy than what is known as the past pupil or parent rule. And the Minister, in publishing the Admissions to Schools Bill this week, has now sought to have a full public debate on the matter before a final decision is taken.
Ms O’Sullivan hopes to have the Bill passed this year, with changes in school admissions to be introduced later via Government regulation, following consultations with schools, parents and other interested parties. Besides restricting the priority given to the offspring of past pupils, the Bill would also prevent schools from favouring pupils on such grounds as academic ability or their parents’ income. Religious schools could still give preference to children of a particular faith and siblings of children already enrolled could be given priority. The Minister, faced with a tough challenge, has set a demanding timetable for the implementation of some of her proposals; given both their contentious nature, and the strong resistance that they are likely to meet in some quarters.
The intention behind the legislation is to introduce a fairer and more equitable form of admission to primary and secondary schools. And the proposed 10 per cent limit under the parent rule should help to advance that aim. At present, where one-quarter of school places are prioritised for children of past pupils, and where siblings also receive priority treatment, then in schools that are oversubscribed – where demand for places exceeds the number available – this can mean access to education is unfairly restricted for some; in particular for children of a migrant background. Of course not all schools are oversubscribed, and therefore the proposed priority restrictions on places would not apply. But some 20 per cent of schools, mainly in urban areas, are in that category and here there is need for change.
Those who support the parent rule say that it helps to create and sustain a sense of tradition and history for a school. Others that are critical of it, such as the Irish Traveller Movement, say a 25 per cent cap for the children of past pupils is excessive and, when combined with the sibling rule, only serves to ensure that those with disadvantaged backgrounds have less access to education. Clearly, a much wider public debate is needed before the Government takes what will be a difficult political decision – one that may well follow the general election rather than precede it.