A school has been forced to drop an illegal €250 “application” fee after parents complained to the Department of Education.

St David’s Holy Faith Secondary School, in Greystones, Co Wicklow, is now in the process of refunding any payments made by parents hoping to secure a place for their child in September 2022.

Legislation introduced in October 2018 bans schools from requesting fees or deposits from parents as part of the application process.

Schools may seek a voluntary contribution when a child is enrolled, but it must be voluntary.

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During the summer, St David’s opened for applications for the first year intake in 2022/23 and parents were invited to complete a form and provide a range of information about the child as well as agreeing to comply with its code of behaviour policy.

Parents were also requested to enclose a €250 ‘Administrative Fee’, either by cash, cheque or some other method of payment.

The fee “covers myriad of costs including entrance assessment and associated administrative costs, locker, journal, water, insurance, postage, as well as well-being workshops in first year, etc”, the form stated.

It added: “Please note no refunds would be paid if a place is cancelled. Refunds are only given in the event that an applicant applies and no place is granted.”

It caused a furore locally and a number of parents complained to the Department of Education. After a department official rang the principal and wrote to the board of management, the fee was scrapped.

School principal Mary O’Doherty told the Irish Independent that the matter was resolved and it was in the process of issuing refunds to parents who had paid the fee for 2022.

Applications for 2022 entry to St David’s, a co-educational school operating under the patronage of Le Chéile Schools Trust, are now closed.

The Department of Education said it did not comment on individual cases, but a spokesperson said: “If any alleged breaches of Section 64 of the Education (Admission to Schools) Act 2018 are notified to the department, it will contact the school concerned to look into the matter.”

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