Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE)
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44. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the action she will take to provide appropriate school places this school year for all children who need them; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44963/24]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I can assure the Deputy that the provision of school places to meet the needs of children and young people at primary and post primary level, including children and young people with special educational needs is an absolute priority for the Department of Education.

As the Deputy may be aware, the Educational Welfare Services of the Child and Family Agency, Tusla, is the statutory agency that can assist parents who are experiencing difficulty in securing a school place for their child. The local service is delivered through the national network of Educational Welfare Officers. Tusla Education Support Service (TESS) is under the remit of my Department.

TESS operates under the Education (Welfare) Act, 2000, a piece of legislation that emphasises the promotion of school attendance, participation and retention. TESS has three strands namely the statutory Educational Welfare Service, or EWS, and the two school support services the Home School Community Liaison scheme and the School Completion Programme. The three TESS strands work together collaboratively with schools, parents and guardians and other relevant services to achieve the best educational outcomes for children and young people.

The EWS can assist parents who are experiencing difficulty in securing a school placement for their child. Referrals to the EWS may be made throughout the school year. Once a referral is made to the EWS in respect of a child or young person with no school place, it will remain an open case until such time as a school place is offered and accepted.

The Home Tuition Grant Scheme is available to provide funding towards the provision of a compensatory educational service for children who, for a number of specific reasons, are unable to attend school. Home tuition is provided as an interim measure only for children for whom a placement in a recognised school is not currently available.

At a national level, Ireland has been experiencing growth in overall post primary enrolments and this is projected to continue in many parts of the country for the next number of years before beginning to decline. However, first year enrolments nationally are expected to have peaked in the 2023/24 school year and are beginning to decline from next year. At primary level, there is generally good capacity across the country, although there are some areas under continuing demographic pressures.

At post primary level, there can be complexities around timetabling, class sizes, and subject options which can make it challenging to facilitate the enrolment of a young person into established year groups. However, at both primary and post primary level there is school accommodation capacity in, or near, all areas of the country and the department shares information on this available capacity with the Educational Welfare Service to assist with the enrolment of children without a school place.

I want to assure the Deputy that my Department and TESS will continue to work to ensure that families are supported to access required school places.