Education Act 1998
Objects of Act.
6.—Every person concerned in the implementation of this Act shall have regard to the following objects in pursuance of which the Oireachtas has enacted this Act:
(a) to give practical effect to the constitutional rights of children, including children who have a disability or who have other special educational needs, as they relate to education;
(b) to provide that, as far as is practicable and having regard to the resources available, there is made available to people resident in the State a level and quality of education appropriate to meeting the needs and abilities of those people;
(c) to promote equality of access to and participation in education and to promote the means whereby students may benefit from education;
(d) to promote opportunities for adults, in particular adults who as children did not avail of or benefit from education in schools, to avail of educational opportunities through adult and continuing education;
(e) to promote the right of parents to send their children to a school of the parents’ choice having regard to the rights of patrons and the effective and efficient use of resources;
(f) to promote best practice in teaching methods with regard to the diverse needs of students and the development of the skills and competences of teachers;
(g) to promote effective liaison and consultation between schools and centres for education, patrons, teachers, parents, the communities served by schools, local authorities, F12[the Health Service Executive], F13[the Child and Family Agency,] persons or groups of persons who have a special interest in, or experience of, the education of students with special educational needs and the Minister;
(h) to contribute to the realisation of national educational policies and objectives;
(i) to contribute to the realisation of national policy and objectives in relation to the extension of bi-lingualism in Irish society and in particular the achievement of a greater use of the Irish language at school and in the community;
(j) to contribute to the maintenance of Irish as the primary community language in Gaeltacht areas;
(k) to promote the language and cultural needs of students having regard to the choices of their parents;
(l) to enhance the accountability of the education system, and
(m) to enhance transparency in the making of decisions in the education system both locally and nationally.
Annotations
Amendments:
F12
Substituted (1.01.2005) by Health Act 2004 (42/2004), s. 75 and sch. 7 part 8 item 2, S.I. No. 887 of 2004.
F13
Inserted (1.01.2014) by Child and Family Agency Act 2013 (40/2013), s. 97 and sch. 2 part 11 item 2, S.I. No. 502 of 2013.