Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent)
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127. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the rationale for the basis of questions for foreign national students registering for schools here; and if he acknowledges that the sensitive nature of the questions would be better orientated to spoken language and language needs as opposed to ethnic background and cultural identity as illustrated in a circular (details supplied). [18237/16]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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The circular to which the Deputy refers is Circular 0023/2016 governing the student data required to be returned to my Department for the purpose of analysis and reporting in the areas of social inclusion and integration. A copy of the circular is available on my Department's website at .

A detailed rationale for the collection of each item of the data required is set out in Appendix B to the circular. The stated purposes of collection include outcome focused planning of policy and support for minority groups, the monitoring and evaluation of policy supports, and meeting national and EU reporting requirements.

It is important to note that the collection of information on the ethnic and cultural background of students is not a mandatory requirement and may be provided on a voluntary basis by students or their parents. This point is highlighted in Circular by the statement: "The identification in relation to ethnic and cultural background is on the basis of voluntary self-identification. It is not compulsory. Parents and students are free to decline to provide this information."

As this circular relates to collection of information for statistical and reporting purposes, the information requested is kept under review to ensure a currency with the business needs of my Department and its national and international reporting requirements.