Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The Minister will be aware that, in 2018, regulations were introduced in respect of reception standards for people applying for direct provision. Regulation 17 expressly deals with the right of children who are in direct provision to have access to educational services in the exact same way as though they were Irish citizens. I would be extremely concerned if I was the Minister for Education and Skills and learned that there were 30 children who had not received education and had not been attending school for a period of over two months.

It is very important that the Department gets more involved in this matter. The Minister needs to seek answers as to why it is the case that these very vulnerable people, in particular the children, have not been given access to education. We have a responsibility to people who are coming into this country and seeking direct provision. It is an extremely challenging environment for people who are coming in, particularly if they do not have the language. They need the support of Government and the Minister's Department to ensure that they are able to access education the same way as any Irish child can. I ask the Minister to look into this matter.

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