Generate a formally-worded Section 29 school appeal letter citing the Education Act 1998 — covering both the Board of Management review stage and the appeal to the Department of Education for families in Kildare, Wicklow.
Is this relevant to your school? If your child's school is an ETB (Education and Training Board) school, the first stage of your Section 29 appeal goes to the regional ETB below. If your child's school has a different patron (most primary schools, and many voluntary secondary schools, are not ETB schools — including schools under Catholic diocesan, Educate Together, and other patron bodies), your appeal goes directly to the national Section 29 Appeals Board, regardless of which county you're in. Not sure which applies to your school? Check your school's published patron body, or contact the school directly.
Kildare and Wicklow Education & Training Board
Counties
Kildare, Wicklow
Address
Devoy Park, Áras Chill Dara, Naas West, Naas, Co. Kildare
Your letter cites Section 29 of the Education Act 1998 and, where relevant, the Education (Admission to Schools) Act 2018. Free preview — €19 for the clean, submission-ready PDF.
Stage 1 — Board of Management review: Request a review from the school's own Board of Management within 21 calendar days of the refusal decision.
Stage 2 — Section 29 appeal: If the review fails, or you want to go directly, appeal to the Department of Education under Section 29 of the Education Act 1998 within 63 days of the original refusal. A completed Section 29 Appeal Form is submitted to the Section 29 Appeals Administration Unit — a hearing is normally scheduled within 21 calendar days of receipt of a complete application, heard by an independent three-person Appeals Committee appointed by the Minister for Education.
Applies nationally via section29appeals.gov.ie — the regional ETB above is only the first point of contact for ETB-patron schools.
Common Questions
Do all schools in Kildare, Wicklow go through Kildare and Wicklow? +
No. Only schools whose patron body is the ETB go through the regional ETB first. Most primary schools and many voluntary secondary schools have a different patron and appeal directly to the national Section 29 Appeals Board. Check your school's published patron body if you're unsure.
What is the deadline for a Section 29 appeal? +
63 calendar days from the date of the school's refusal decision. The earlier Board of Management review stage has a separate, shorter deadline of 21 calendar days.
Do I need a solicitor to appeal? +
No. A well-structured letter citing the correct legal provisions is the foundation of a successful appeal. Free advice is also available from Citizens Information and Tusla TESS.
What grounds can I use? +
Common grounds include: the school did not correctly apply its admission policy; your child has a sibling currently attending; medical or special educational need requiring this specific school; your child is in the school's catchment area; or the school failed to follow the correct process under the Education (Admission to Schools) Act 2018.