Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 21 June 2022
586. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Education the number of notifications made to the Tusla Educational Welfare Support Service in relation to the use of reduced timetables for the current academic year; the number of reduced timetables used for children with special educational needs or disability; and the number of reduced timetables used for children with a Traveller or Roma heritage; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32818/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraA commitment was made under the Programme for Government to ensure robust data collection on the use of reduced school days and to further ensure that they are only used in a manner that is limited, appropriate and absolutely necessary.
My Department issued guidelines to schools on reduced school days in September 2021 which came into effect from 1st January 2022. My Department is working closely with Tusla Education Support Service and the National Council for Special Education to ensure that all students are supported to the greatest extent possible to attend for the full school day.
Tusla Education Support Service are tasked with gathering data from schools in relation to the use of reduced school days. It is my intention to publish this data in the near future and details will be on my Department's website.
