The Cabinet is expected to support legislation that will require schools to publish their admission policies.

Education Minister Jan O’Sullivan's Bill would also ban the practice of asking for deposits to secure places.

Waiting lists and giving preference to the children of former students are also expected to be covered by the new law.

Jan O’Sullivan will bring the Education (Admission to School) Bill before her Cabinet colleagues this morning - with the full Bill to be made public sometime this week.

It is expected to require schools to publish all of the criteria in their admissions policies.

The Government's legislation programme states that the Bill aims "to make the admissions process more inclusive and equitable and to ensure that the way schools decide on applications is structured, fair and transparent. The framework also proposes a mechanism for ensuring that every child receives a school place."

The Bill will also ban asking for deposits of €30 or €40 to secure a place, despite claims from schools that these are needed to fund administration costs.

Waiting lists are also likely to see changes - with draft versions of the Bill suggesting that applications could only be accepted in the October prior to enrolment.

Minister O’Sullivan has indicated previously that the Bill will also place some restriction on schools giving preference to the children of past pupils.