Eric Byrne (Dublin South Central, Labour)
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Question 252: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the rationale behind mid-term breaks and other breaks in the school year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11387/12]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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I assume the Deputy is referring to the standardisation of the mid-term, Christmas and Easter breaks for all schools. The arrangements for the standardisation of these breaks are agreed under the auspices of the Teachers Conciliation Council and were first introduced in 2004 to implement a specific requirement in the national agreement Sustaining Progress. Sustaining Progress set the achievement of a standard school year as a requirement for all primary and post primary schools in the country. In encompassing all schools in both sectors it was designed to bring certainty and clarity on a country wide basis to the arrangements for the vacation periods covered by the agreement. The current agreement covers the breaks for Christmas, Easter and mid-term in the first and second terms for the school years up to 2013/14 and is set out in Circular 0034/2011 which is available on my Department's website.