Aodhán Ó Ríordáin (Dublin Bay North, Labour)
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121. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of children placed on reduced timetables in junior infants, senior infants and first class, across Dublin 1, Dublin 3, Dublin 7 and Dublin 9 and nationwide in the 2019-20, 2020-21 and 2021-22 school years. [59872/22]

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin (Dublin Bay North, Labour)
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122. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of children placed on reduced timetables across Dublin 1, Dublin 3, Dublin 7 and Dublin 9 and nationwide in the 2019-20, 2020-21, and 2021-22 school years. [59873/22]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 121 and 122 together.

A commitment was made under the Programme for Government to ensure robust data collection on the use of reduced school days and to further ensure that reduced school days are only used in a manner that is limited, appropriate and absolutely necessary.

My Department issued guidelines to schools on reduced school days in September 2021 which came into effect from 1st January 2022. My Department is working closely with the Tusla Education Support Service (TESS) to ensure that all students are supported to the greatest extent possible to attend for the full school day.

Tusla Education Support Service have been gathering data from schools in relation to the use of reduced school days. My Department will shortly publish a composite report on the data compiled. Work is currently on-going to finalise this report and it is my intention to publish this data in the near future and my department will be happy to assist with any remaining enquiries the deputy may have at that point. I am committed to continuing to take any action necessary to meet our Programme for Government commitment.