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What is the Admissions Policy?

• Each participating post-primary school has a unique Admission Policy containing its own unique admissions criteria.
• It is essential that parent(s)/guardian(s) make themselves familiar with the Admissions Policy of the schools of their choice before beginning the CAS application process.
• A copy of the Admissions Policy is available on the new Limerick Area CAS Application Portal for each participating school. It is also available on each school’s individual website or by contacting the school directly.
• If parents/guardians have any queries regarding the school’s Admission Policy or criteria for admission, please contact the school directly to seek clarification.

What is the Annual Admissions Notice?

• Each participating post-primary school has a unique Admissions Notice.
• The Annual Admission Notice contains information on details about the admission process of a school that change from year to year.
• A copy of the Annual Admissions Notice is available on the new Limerick Area CAS Application Portal for each participating school. It is also available on each school’s individual website or by contacting the school directly.
• It is essential that parent(s)/guardian(s) make themselves familiar with the Admissions Notice of the schools of their choice before beginning the CAS application process.

On the Admissions Notice you will find:

• The number of places being made available in 1^st year for the academic year 2026/2027.
• In schools with special classes, the number of special class places available for 2026/2027.
• In schools that were oversubscribed in 2025/2026, you will find information in relation to the number of applications received and the number and order of offers made that year.
• Dates when the school will begin and cease accepting special class applications for admission to the school for the school year concerned.
• Dates by when special class offers will be notified to applicants and dates by when acceptance should be confirmed to the school.
• Dates when the school will begin and cease accepting mainstream applications for admission to the school for the school year concerned.
• Dates by when mainstream offers will be notified to applicants and dates by when acceptance should be confirmed to the school.

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What is the Limerick Area CAS Application Portal?

• The Limerick Area Common Application System (CAS) Application Portal is a shared online application process used by 17 participating post-primary schools in the Limerick area.
• This new application portal will be used for the 2026/2027 admissions process.
• Application for a place in 1^st Year 2026/2027 can only be made using the Limerick Area CAS Application Portal.
• You can access the new Limerick Area CAS Application Portal on Wednesday, 1^st October 2025, from 9:00am on school-application.ie and through links on the participating school websites and/or social media platforms.
• Details including a video on how to access and use the new Limerick Area CAS Application Portal are available below and on each post-primary school’s website.

What will I need to access the Portal?

To begin your application, you will need to create an account. This involves setting up a secure parent/guardian profile. In order to create this profile, you will require a mobile phone number and an email address. It is very important that you keep a record of these details and monitor this email address.

What will I see when I enter the Portal?

Once you enter the portal, you will see two buttons, one for Special Class Application and one for Mainstream Application.

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INFORMATION FOR MAKING AN APPLICATION FOR A PLACE IN A SPECIAL CLASS

How do I make an application for 1st year student admission to a special class in a post-primary school for 2026/2027? 

The Special Class Application button

Use the Special Class Application button if you wish to make an application for a place in a Special Class for your child/ward for 2026/2027.

• Once you click on this button, you will see details of all the schools that have Special Class places for 2026/2027.
• Click on the name of the school(s) to which you would like to make an application, to get further details.
• Admission to Special Classes is a matter for each individual school and does not form part of the CAS process. Therefore, you must apply directly, and individually, to your school(s) of choice.
• The deadline for applications for Special Class Admission is Monday, 10^th November 2025 at 12.30pm.

What are the key dates for applications to a Special Class for 1^st Year 2026/2027:

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It is important to note that the closing dates for special class applications and mainstream applications are different.

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What happens if my child/ward does not receive an offer of a place in a special class?

• Letters of offers will be posted from schools with Special Classes on Monday, 24^th November 2025.
• If your child/ward is unsuccessful in obtaining a place in a Special Class, you will be notified in writing by the school/schools in question. Letters of refusal will be posted from schools on Tuesday, 25^th November 2025.
• An application for a place in a mainstream class can be made through the Mainstream Application button on the Limerick Area CAS Application Portal and must be submitted by 5pm on Monday, 12^th January 2026.

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INFORMATION FOR MAKING AN APPLICATION FOR A PLACE IN A MAINSTREAM CLASS

How do I make an application for 1st year student admission to a mainstream class in a participating post-primary school for 2026/2027? 

The Mainstream Class Application button 

This video will show you how to fill in the form to apply for a place in a MAINSTREAM CLASS:  https://school-application.ie/info_video

Before you start, use the checklist below to make sure you have all the information required to hand.

CHECKLIST

• In order to make an application for admission into a mainstream class for 1^st Year for the academic year 2026/2027, you must make an online application using the new Limerick Area CAS Application Portal.
• This can be accessed on school-application.ie and through links on the participating school websites and/or social media platforms from 9:00am on Wednesday, 1^st October 2025.
• Log onto the Portal to set up a secure parent/guardian profile to begin your application. This will require you to use both your phone number and email address.
• Click on the Mainstream Application button.
• You will now begin the completion of the online application form.
• You will be guided through each section of the online application form. Each section must be completed before you can proceed to the next section.
• When completing the online application form, you must indicate 11 schools to which you are applying in genuine, descending order of choice (i.e. 1 is your first preference school, 2 is your second preference school and so on). Failure to indicate 11 choices may result in your child/ward not being offered a school place.
• All information provided by you must, to the best of your knowledge, be accurate and truthful.
• Application forms found to have inaccurate or misleading information will be withdrawn from the system and any offer made by a participating post-primary school, based on the information provided, will be deemed invalid.
• Once you have completed the online form, click on submit. Your form will be submitted to your school of 1^st choice and will be shared with Limerick Education Support Centre. Please note: you cannot submit the form until all the required sections are completed.
• You will receive a confirmation email with a copy of the completed form attached.
• You will also receive a letter from your first-choice school, at a later date, to confirm receipt of your application.
• Early submission of forms is advisable, but in any event, forms must be submitted no later than 5pm on Monday, 12^th January 2026.
• If you are having difficulty with this form, please refer to the online help page or contact your school of first choice.

PLEASE NOTE:

• Only one online application form per child will be accepted on the system.
• Responsibility for making an online application rests with the parent(s)/guardian(s).
• Responsibility for ensuring that the completed online application form is submitted before the closing date & time rests with the parent(s)/guardian(s).
• If you do not receive confirmation that the school has received your online application form, it is your responsibility to contact the school diectly, before the closing date.

What are the key dates for the CAS Process for 1^st Year 2026/2027:

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What can I do if I have submitted an online application form but wish to change the order of my preferences?

Changes to the order of preferences are allowed, providing that they are made prior to the closing date/time for the submission of application forms, i.e., by 5pm on Monday, 12^th January 2026. 

• Once you submit an amended form online you will then receive confirmation via email with a copy of the amended form attached.
• If the amended form resulted in a change to your school of first choice, you will receive a letter from your new first-choice school, at a later date to confirm receipt of application.

What happens if I miss the closing date to make an application?

• It will not be possible to submit an online application form though the Limerick Area CAS Application Portal after 5pm on Monday, January 12^th, 2026.
• Any application after the closing date must be made directly to the individual schools using their school-based application form and will only be considered after the Common Application System has concluded.
• Please note that a number of schools will be full by this time, so you are strongly advised to submit the form on time.

What happens to the data provided on the CAS Form?

When you complete your child’s application on the CAS online portal, the information you enter is stored securely and used only for the purposes of the admissions process.

• First-choice school: Your application will first be reviewed by the school you have ranked as number 1, in line with that school’s admissions policy.
• If a place is not offered: If your child is not offered a place in your first-choice school, your application will automatically be made available to your second-choice school — and so on, down your list of 11 schools, if required.
• Consent to share: This sharing only happens if you have given consent when submitting your application. If you do not provide consent for this sharing of data, your child's application will not be shared with any other school on your list and your child will not receive an offer from any other school.

It is essential that parent(s)/guardian(s) make themselves familiar with the Common Application System Privacy Notice in relation to the collection & processing of data for the Limerick Common Application System. This notice can be accessed through the Limerick Area CAS application portal.

What happens if my child/ward does not receive an offer of a place from their first-choice school?

• If your child/ward is unsuccessful in obtaining their first-choice school, their online application form will be considered by the schools listed 2-11, in order of the descending preferences outlined. (provided you have given consent for this sharing of data as outlined above).
• If one of these schools is in a position to make an offer of a school place, they will post a letter of offer on Tuesday, 27^th January 2026.
• Every school listed 2-11 that receives your application but is not in a position to offer a place, will post a letter of refusal on Wednesday, 28^th January 2026.

Please note: Every school on your list that receives your application but is not in a position to offer a school place, must post a letter of refusal. This is in line with legislation as a requirement of the Education (Welfare) Act 2000. This may, unfortunately, result in an applicant receiving up to eleven letters of refusal.

What happens if my child/ward receives an offer of a school place but we want to refuse the offer?

The CAS system cannot address a situation where your child/ward has been offered a school place, but you choose to refuse that offer. Please be aware that there will be very limited availability (if any) of school places at the end of the CAS process. Refusal of an offer may leave your child/ward without a school place.

What happens if my child/ward does not receive an offer of a school place in any of the schools on the list?

• All decisions in relation to admission are made by the individual school.
• Limerick Education Support Centre has no role in deciding on school places.
• If your child/ward does not receive an offer of a school place from any of the schools on their list, Limerick Education Support Centre will post a letter to you informing you of same and advising you of other schools in the CAS system that may have capacity.
• If none of the schools on your list are in a position to offer your child/ward a school place, each will send a letter of refusal, and this letter will indicate where your child/ward is on the school’s waiting list.

Where do I address my queries?

Queries about the system:

For queries about the system please go to the frequently asked questions on the help page: https://school-application.ie/help

You can also access the information video here: https://school-application.ie/info_video.

If your query is about logging in, please:

1. Double check that the email you put in is correct.
2. Check check your spam/junk folder. 
3. Refresh and try again.

For queries about offers/refusals of places

All decisions in relation to admission are made by the individual schools. They are the Data Controllers. If you have any queries regarding an offer or refusal from any school on the applicant’s list, please contact the school(s) directly.

• If your child/ward does not receive an offer from their school of 1^st choice, please contact the school of first choice directly.
• If your child/ward does not receive an offer from a school listed 2-11 on their list of preferences, please contact those school(s) directly.
• If your child/ward does not receive an offer of a school place from any school, please contact the Education Welfare Officer at: mcdonagh@tusla.ie

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PLEASE NOTE

Limerick Education Support Centre undertakes the administration of the Common Application System on behalf of the Limerick Principals & Deputy Principals’ Association.

Limerick Education Support Centre is the Data Processor, not the Data Controller and as such, cannot address any queries.

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