Robert Dowds (Dublin Mid West, Labour)
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558. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the steps parents are required to take if they wish to home-school their children who are of primary school age. [42095/14]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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Section 14 (2) of the Education (Welfare) Act 2000 provides: ‘Where a parent chooses to educate, or to have educated, his or her child in a place other than a recognised school he or she shall, in accordance with this section, apply to the Child and Family Agency to have the child concerned registered in the register’. The Child and Family Agency has a statutory obligation to maintain a register of all children in receipt of education in a place other than a recognised school.

The steps in the registration process involve the parent completing a home education application form, to be sent to the Child and Family Agency, to have their child included on the register. On receipt of the application form, the Agency will carry out a preliminary assessment, and if necessary a further comprehensive assessment, to determine whether the child is in receipt of a certain minimum education. Assessments are carried out by authorised persons appointed by the Agency. When the Agency is satisfied that the child concerned is receiving a certain minimum education, it shall register the child in the register.

Any parent choosing to educate their child at home should make contact with the Child and Family Agency, 16 - 22 Green Street, Dublin 7 or www.tusla.ie.