Charlie McConalogue (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)
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76. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the Departments and agencies which have a role in the oversight of home school tuition; if she will consolidate oversight of home school tuition within her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4500/16]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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The Deputy has clarified to my Department that his question refers to the matter of home schooling.

In accordance with the National Education Welfare Board (Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial Functions) Order 2011 – No. 215 of 2011, responsibility for the regulation of home schooling of children lies with my colleague the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs. Section 14 of the Education Welfare Act 2000 requires Tusla to maintain a register of all children in receipt of an education in a place other than a recognised school, including the home. This transfer of Ministerial functions was effected as part of an overall realignment of Ministerial functions to facilitate the establishment of the Child and Family Agency in January 2014.

I, as Minister for Education and Skills, retain a function under the Education Welfare Act 2000 to issue guidelines for the purpose of assisting Tusla in determining whether a child is receiving a certain minimum education. Such guidelines were issued in 2003 and are currently the subject of a review by Tusla to update them in the light of the experience of their implementation over more than 10 years.