Second-level principals in the Limerick area are to meet in the coming weeks to discuss how best to accommodate primary children who have been denied a school place for next year.
Up to 85 children were yesterday sent a letter informing them they would not get a place in any of the second-level schools of their choice. Instead, they have been asked to reapply for vacant places in other schools.
Under a system introduced to address difficulties in enrolment for children from disadvantaged areas, parents were allowed to list five schools as their top choices. The new system had aimed to avoid a repeat of a form of "educational apartheid" for students in the area, which last year meant 49 students from disadvantaged areas were at one stage unable to find school places.
But the revelation that up to 85 children are without places has led to claims that the new system is in disarray.
A spokeswoman for the Minister for Education and Science yesterday expressed her confidence that no child will be denied a place at second level in Limerick.
However, local Labour Party councillor Mr John Ryan said many primary students are "in limbo," and are facing into the mid-term break, which commences next week, unsure of where they will be going to school next year.
Many also faced "logistical nightmares" trying to get to a school which has a place available, but which may be some distance from their home, he said.
Letters of acceptance from students who have been offered a place are due back by the 23rd of this month.
Mr George O'Callaghan of the Joint Managerial Body, which represents school managers in Limerick, said the school principals had agreed it might be necessary for them to meet to address outstanding issues. "They probably hoped the new system would solve the problem, but they were realistic enough to know there could be a need to resolve outstanding issues," he said.
The spokeswoman for Ms Hanafin said: "The Minister doesn't have a role to play in this as such. Her main responsibility is to ensure there are enough places, which there are."
However, the Labour Party spokeswoman on education, Ms Jan O'Sullivan, who is also a TD in Limerick East, said the new central applications system was simply "not working".
"This is not the answer to the problems that arose last year. I understood, as did most parents, that all children would receive an offer at one of their five choices," she said.