Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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1651. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his views from the perspective of the impact on domestic tourism on the fact that pupils at primary and post primary level are now returning to school during the last week of August effectively shutting down the domestic tourism sector for the final week of August; if he has raised the issue with the Department of Education and Skills; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37706/13]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy will appreciate, the rules governing the scheduling of the school holiday periods is a matter for my colleague the Minister for Education and Skills.  In this regard, I am informed that individual schools may use discretionary days, where available, to determine the precise start and end of the school year having regard to the overall requirement of a minimum of 167 teaching days at post-primary level and 183 teaching days at primary level in each academic year. While I understand the concerns expressed by the Deputy of the impact on domestic tourism providers, these are independent decisions made by schools for educational reasons.  While this may lead to some children returning to school in the last week in August, those same children will have other days off during the school year which may allow families the opportunity to take a short break at other times during the year and so provide additional business for the tourism sector during the quieter months.

While domestic tourism is really important, I do not believe that a child's education or the school year should be arranged to suit tourism.