Joanna Tuffy (Dublin Mid West, Labour)
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Question 53: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of children that commence school each year in September who have reached their fourth birthday in the months of July or August in the same year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28905/11]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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The National School Annual Census collects data on the age of children classified by the year of their birth. Data is not collected on the month of birth and hence the data requested is not available. I believe a breakdown of births by month may be available on the website of the Central Statistics Office at www.cso.ie. While this information may be helpful, I am informed by the officials in my Department's Statistics section that this information cannot be used as a precise measure as to which children have commenced school in a given year, as parents have the right to decide when their child starts primary school.