Under the Education (Welfare) Act, 2000, you have a right to educate your child outside of school, for example at home. If you decide to educate your child outside of school, you must register with the Education Welfare Service. The Education Welfare Service of the agency will carry out an assessment of the education you provide.
If a school refuses to enrol a student, you have the right to appeal the decision. You must first appeal to the school’s board of management. If this is not successful, you can appeal the decision to the Department, under Section 29 of the Education Act.
Children who are new to Ireland (sometimes called newcomers), whether asylum seekers, refugees or children of migrant workers, have the same right to education as other Irish children. They must attend school between the ages of 6 and 16.