Sorca Clarke (Longford-Westmeath, Sinn Fein)
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363. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will develop child-safe guidelines for school trips, including guidance not to visit orphanages; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42942/24]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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Under the provisions of the Education Act, 1998 the board of management is the body charged with the direct governance of a school and the principal is responsible for the day-to-day management of a school. The Board has overall responsibility for school policies including a school’s policy in relation to schools trips/outings.

Under the Children First Act 2015, all schools in Ireland must have a Child Safeguarding Statement. This document outlines the school's commitment to safeguarding children from harm and details the procedures in place to protect them. As part of the Child Safeguarding Statement, schools must carry out a risk assessment to identify potential risks of harm to children. This assessment focuses on identifying areas where children might be vulnerable to abuse or neglect within the school setting, including outdoor and off-site activities such as school trips.

It is the responsibility of each school authority to ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place while children are participating in school trips/outings.

The objective of an educational tour should be that it should provide a significant benefit in the educational, intellectual, cultural and social development of the maximum number of pupils in the particular grade(s) taking part in the tour and which benefit cannot be provided by in-school activities alone. Where a Board of Management is satisfied that a school tour meets the criteria, such a tour may be undertaken without seeking prior approval from the Department. The Tour Template contained in the attached as appendix 1 should be completed by the Principal in the planning of a school tour and should be retained in the school for examination by a Departmental Inspector in the course of normal school inspection.