Minister for Education Mary Hanafin today said she was worried by reports that some school principals were "subtly" choosing not to admit students with special education needs or from disadvantaged backgrounds.
In an address to the annual congress of the Teachers Union of Ireland (TUI) in Tralee, Ms Hanafin claimed some second level schools were not operating an open policy of refusal and were making positive recommendations to parents that another school would be better suited to their child's particular need.
She said: "This is wrong. All schools have a duty, not simply in legislation but in social justice, to cater for the needs of students of all backgrounds".
Ms Hanafin said schools in the VEC or community and comprehensive sector which operate a fully welcoming and inclusive policy, continue to meet the needs of children from every background.
The Minister said that while the evidence of this practice was largely anecdotal, she intended to keep a close watch on the activity of schools in this regard "to seek to ensure that all schools live up to their responsibilities."
She also highlighted the increasing diversity of the modern classroom where there are now more than 12,000 children who were born outside Ireland in post-primary education.
"These newcomers bring a rich diversity to our classrooms and open up new learning opportunities for everyone," she said.
But she warned the diversity brought challenges in terms of successfully meeting a particular student's needs.
"There are now 262 language support teachers working in schools at second level helping a significant number of the new international students.
But it is not just about language - there can be wider issues in successfully integrating newcomer students into our education system," she added.
