90. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education and Youth the way in which she plans to respond to recent school attendance data; and the supports and training her Department has in place for school leaders, home school community liaisons, HSCLs, teachers and SNAs regarding emotionally based school non-attendance, EBSNA. [74815/26]
Topics / School Attendance
A subject heading for parliamentary questionsSchool Attendance
50 questions from 21 TDs, between 20 March 2025 and 22 October 2026.
50
questions
49 written, 1 oral
21
TDs have asked
8
parties and groups
Independents counted together
1
departments asked
Questions per month
The record holds no questions for August, when the Dáil does not sit.
Jan 2025Oct 2026
Show as a table
| Month | Questions |
|---|---|
| January 2025 | 0 |
| February 2025 | 0 |
| March 2025 | 1 |
| April 2025 | 1 |
| May 2025 | 3 |
| June 2025 | 2 |
| July 2025 | 6 |
| August 2025 | 0 |
| September 2025 | 6 |
| October 2025 | 6 |
| November 2025 | 1 |
| December 2025 | 0 |
| January 2026 | 3 |
| February 2026 | 1 |
| March 2026 | 3 |
| April 2026 | 3 |
| May 2026 | 5 |
| June 2026 | 3 |
| July 2026 | 0 |
| August 2026 | 0 |
| September 2026 | 2 |
| October 2026 | 4 |
Who asks, by party
The party each TD belonged to on the day, in alphabetical order. Parties differ a lot in size, and members of the Government answer questions rather than ask them, so this shows who raised it, not how much a party cares about it.
The TDs who asked most
Members of the Government answer questions rather than ask them. Each question counts once.
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10
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7
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5
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5
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5
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2
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1
Asked of
Debated under the same heading
Debates whose official heading is exactly these words.
The questions
320. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the arrangements in place for Leaving Certificate students who, due to disability, medical needs or school avoidance, cannot regularly attend school to complete required coursework or additional assessment components; whether alternative arrangements are available to allow these students to complete the assessments; and the way in which she will en…
346. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether a school may satisfy a parent's exercise of the right under section 30(2)(e) of the Education Act 1998 by requiring a child to remain physically present in the classroom while the instruction to which the parent has objected is delivered; if not, the national guidance that has been issued to schools regarding the physical removal or alternativ…
376. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the arrangements available for students who cannot attend school regularly for medical reasons to complete and have their additional assessment components authenticated; whether an alternative process will be available; where this cannot be done through their school; and the guidance that has been provided to schools on such cases. [72184/26]
378. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Education and Youth the supports that are available to a child in a primary school with no home-school liaison who is experiencing school refusal. [68171/26]
584. Deputy Ann Graves asked the Minister for Education and Youth the steps that can be taken to ensure that a student (details supplied) can access a school. [65189/26]
486. Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Education and Youth when the Student Absence Reports (SAR) 2024/2025 will be published; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45568/26]
502. Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Education and Youth regarding the Student Absence Reports (SAR) 2023/2024, the number of the 1,265 suspensions at primary level which were in DEIS schools; the number of the 11,627 suspensions at post-primary level which were in DEIS schools; the number of the 27 expulsions from primary schools which were in DEIS schools; and the number of the 150 expulsions from post-p…
876. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Education and Youth if her Department quantifies the number of children on reduced timetables or excluded from school; the national policy position on this practice; if her attention has been drawn to the extent to which it is occurring; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42848/26]
611. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of students in primary and post-primary schools reported as absent for 20 or more days in the 2024-2025 school year; the breakdown between casual non-attendance and cases linked to school reluctance or emotionally based school avoidance; if she will provide the figures for each county; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39747/…
612. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the specific supports and funding provided to schools to address emotionally based school avoidance, EBSA; the number of schools that have implemented dedicated gradual return plans or well-being programmes for students with school reluctance in the past two years; and if she is satisfied that current resources, including NEPS and Tusla Education Supp…
613. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Education and Youth her Department's assessment of the increase in school reluctance since the Covid-19 pandemic; the measures contained in the Tusla five-year plan for school attendance that specifically target emotionally based school avoidance; and when an updated national guidance document for schools and parents on this issue will be published. [39749/26]
614. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the steps being taken to support neurodivergent students including those with autism and ADHD experiencing school reluctance; the waiting times for assessments and interventions through NEPS and CAMHS for school avoidance cases; if she will consider additional training and resources for teachers in trauma-informed and neuro-affirming approaches; and i…
615. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of students referred to Tusla Education Welfare Services due to persistent absence linked to school reluctance in 2024 and to date in 2026; the success rate of re-engagement for these students; whether her Department is tracking the long-term educational and mental health outcomes for children affected by prolonged school avoidance; and if …
515. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Education and Youth if her Department maintains data on the number of students experiencing long-term absences; and if not, if there is a plan to start. [29574/26]
516. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Education and Youth her plans to ensure that attendance campaigns and supports for schools are inclusive of neurodivergence. [29575/26]
518. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Education and Youth if NEPS plans to review the Supporting your Child when they are Reluctant to Attend School Guidance documents to include specific advice for neurodivergent children. [29581/26]
261. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Education and Youth for the reintroduction of a child to school (details supplied); the steps her Department is taking to reintroduce them into school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23282/26]
272. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Education and Youth the spend to date on the school attendance campaign; and the overall expected spend. [23356/26]
106. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Education and Youth to provide a breakdown of schools that were successful in the Anseo attendance programme; if a geographic spread was achieved; and if the Pobal deprivation index was used in the selection of successful schools. [22679/26]
180. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education and Youth the measures she is taking to address the increased level of absence in schools, particularly in disadvantaged areas, given new research published by the ESRI found that in DEIS urban band one schools, students are missing more than 20-days of school, which is roughly double the number of days missed by students in non-DEIS schools. [11009/26]
272. Deputy Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh asked the Minister for Education and Youth the actions she is taking to tackle absenteeism in the education system; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7292/26]
366. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the average class size at primary and post-primary level for each county between the years 2020 to 2025, in tabular form; whether further reductions are planned within the lifetime of the Government; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5267/26]
481. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education and Youth the staff complement in the children missing in education team; if she is satisfied that it is sufficient to deliver this important work; the measurement of same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3399/26]
871. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Education and Youth for an update on the scale of school absenteeism since the COVID-19 pandemic, by DEIS and non-DEIS schools; the specific actions in place to reduce absenteeism, especially among children under six; when the promised new DEIS+ scheme will be published and implemented; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [59799/25]