Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I am happy to confirm that. We double-checked that with Tusla and TESS today in advance of addressing the Deputy’s question. Where an absence is explained due to a Covid-related reason, that will not count towards the 20 days. The Deputy is correct that parents are nervous as this is such a different environment but when one looks at how the education and welfare service worked over the years, its approach is to try to bring parents on board and to get students into class, if at all possible. The Deputy will be aware that the number of school attendance notices issued every year is small compared to the overall number of engagements undertaken by TESS and that the number of prosecutions that are brought forward is even smaller still. This is indicative of the harmonious approach that TESS operates.

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