Education Act, 1998

Recognition of schools.

10.—(1) On a request being made for that purpose, the Minister may from time to time designate a school or a proposed school to be a school recognised for the purposes of this Act.

(2) The Minister may designate a school or a proposed school to be a school recognised for the purposes of this Act where the Minister, on a request being made for that purpose by the patron of a school or a proposed school, is satisfied that—

(a) the number of students who are attending or are likely to attend the school is such or is likely to be such as to make the school viable,

(b) in the case of a proposed school, and having regard to the desirability of diversity in the classes of school operating in the area likely to be served by the school, the needs of students attending or likely to attend the school cannot reasonably be met by existing schools,

(c) the patron undertakes that the school shall provide the curriculum as determined in accordance with section 30 ,

(d) the patron agrees to permit and co-operate with regular inspection and evaluation by the Inspectorate,

(e) the school complies, or in the case of a proposed school shall comply, with health, safety and building standards as are determined by law and any further such standards as are determined from time to time by the Minister, and

(f) the patron agrees that the school shall operate in accordance with such regulations as may be made by the Minister from time to time under section 33 and with this Act and with any other terms and conditions as may reasonably be attached to recognition by the Minister.

(3) A school that, on the commencement of this section, is in receipt of funds provided by the Oireachtas in respect of—

(a) the education activities for students of that school, or

(b) the remuneration of teachers in that school,

shall be deemed to be a school recognised in accordance with this section.

(4) The Minister may from time to time designate a place to be a centre for education.