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Objects of Act.
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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:
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(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;
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(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;
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(c) to promote equality of access to and participation in education and to promote the means whereby students may benefit from education;
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(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;
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(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;
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(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;
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(g) to promote effective liaison and consultation between schools and centres for education, patrons, teachers, parents, the communities served by schools, local authorities, health boards, 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;
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(h) to contribute to the realisation of national educational policies and objectives;
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(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;
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(j) to contribute to the maintenance of Irish as the primary community language in Gaeltacht areas;
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(k) to promote the language and cultural needs of students having regard to the choices of their parents;
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(l) to enhance the accountability of the education system, and
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(m) to enhance transparency in the making of decisions in the education system both locally and nationally.
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