Reference to appeal committee of refusal of placing requestS

5(1)A parent who has made a placing request may refer a decision of the education authority refusing the request to an appeal committee set up under section 28D of the 1980 Act.S

(2)Sub-paragraph (1) does not apply where the decision of the education authority refusing the request may be referred to a Tribunal under section 18(1).

(3)Where a reference under this paragraph has been made in respect of a child, no further such reference in respect of the child is competent during the period of 12 months beginning with the day on which the immediately preceding such reference was lodged.

(4)A reference under this paragraph must be lodged with the appeal committee within 28 days of the receipt by the parent of the decision of the education authority.

(5)For the purposes of sub-paragraph (4), a decision which is posted is to be presumed to have been received (unless the contrary is proved)—

(a)on the day after the date on which it was posted, or

(b)if posted on a Friday or Saturday, on the Monday next following.

(6)The committee may, on good cause being shown, hear such a reference notwithstanding that it was not lodged within the time mentioned in sub-paragraph (4).