Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

Mr. McKeon spoke about home schooling. It is offered in my constituency to pupils who do not get a school place. It is not about a child with a difficulty going to school but where they do not get a school place. It is daft that there is a planning unit that cannot count. Revenue says the parent is the employer and the Department of Education uses the PAYE system, which Mr. McKeon said was for the convenience of parents. If your child has not been given a school place or your child really needs home schooling and you are the employer, there are a whole lot of other issues such as insurance and safety at work. Parents who are often in a situation with a vulnerable child then have another range of things to deal with. If the parent is the employer, why would the Department put it through the PAYE system? That suggests the Department is the employer. Many things are showing up where the State is several things but not the thing it should be.