Education Act 1998

Objects of Act.

6

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.