Is it obligatory on parents to send children to the catchment area school or, because of social difficulties, can they enrol them in another national school within the parish but not in the catchment area?

In the primary system we do not speak about catchment areas. We speak of parish areas, and it is not obligatory on parents to send their children to the school within their area.

Is it in accordance with Department of Education rules that a school within a catchment/parish area may refuse to enrol a child and tell the parents to send him or her to the immediate neighbourhood school? Should not the child be allowed to go to the first school?

A board of management may decide that they cannot accept a child from outside their area.

This school would be within the parish, but not the immediate school. Have the board of management the right to refuse that child?

Usually there is one school within a particular parish or area.

There are two in the area about which I am speaking.

That sort of detail would be a matter for the boards of management.

Can the board of management refuse, even though the school is not crowded and has a vacancy for such a child?

A child from outside the area?

No, within the area, but not the immediate area.

A school should take students from the area which it was build to serve.

There are two shcools in the area.

I really cannot answer those questions because they are very hypothetical.

I will give the Minister details.