Carol Nolan (Offaly, Independent)
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492. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills her views on whether is a connection between the huge increases in absenteeism at primary and secondary schools and the increase in working from home in recent years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28996/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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Over 224 million students worldwide were impacted by school closures during the pandemic (UNESCO, 2022). As a result, absenteeism post covid continues to rise, with rates of chronic absenteeism remaining high in primary and post primary schools across Ireland compared to pre-pandemic levels. I have made clear that this is not acceptable and will take a number of actions to tackle this worrying trend.

In 2019, a meta-analysis on school absenteeism (Gubbels et al., 2019) identified illness, poor mental health, substance abuse, risky behaviour, problems with school, school environment, parenting and family problems, certain peer group characteristics and social status as risk factors for school absenteeism. There is a concern that the pandemic has impacted these drivers (OECD, 2024). Illness, for example, has become a significant driver of absenteeism since the pandemic with PISA (2022) recording illness as the most common causal factors for students who were absent from school for more than three consecutive months (OECD 2023). Further research suggests these findings also coincide with an upward trend in anxiety and emotional difficulties in non-attenders (Lester & Mitchelson, 2024). According to the OECD (2024) report on ‘Combating Absenteeism Post Covid’, there is also some initial evidence that points to a shift in parental attitudes that is negatively impacting children’s attendance.

Parents also have a legal duty to ensure that their child, who is attending a recognised school, is at school on every day that the school is open, unless there is a genuine reason for him or her not to attend.

Tackling school absences is a key part of my plan to ensure that every child can achieve their full potential. Regular attendance in school is essential not just for academic achievement, but for wellbeing, social development and long-term life outcomes. As I said in my first Dáil speech as Minister for Education and Youth, I am determined to tackle this issue.

Tusla Education Support Service (TESS) is under the remit of my department. It 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 including the statutory Educational Welfare Service (EWS). The EWS deal with children and families who have difficulties in relation to school attendance, participation, retention and its primary role is to ensure that every child either attends school regularly or otherwise receives a certain minimum education; to ensure and secure every child’s entitlement to education.

In May I announced a range of new measures to tackle school absenteeism. These measures will be both targeted and universal to improve school attendance. With this suite of measures, I am taking decisive action to address the serious issue of school absenteeism. These measures are rooted in evidence and collaboration and are designed to ensure that every child is supported to attend, engage and succeed in school, to enhance their lifelong opportunities.

The measures include;

• a revision of the Education (Welfare) Act to strengthen statutory supports for children, including bringing children under six attending primary school within its scope to ensure earlier intervention.
• the rollout of a new initiative, Anseo, a Multi-Dimensional Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MD-MTSS) approach to addressing School Attendance Problems, to be rolled out initially in 60 schools. This is an evidence-based model that enables TESS staff to support schools to analyse their data in a tiered and systematic way which allows schools to shape their response to their absence trends.
• Continued investment in the Home School Community Liaison Scheme and in the School Completion Programme so that the range of young people’s needs during school days, school holidays and weekends can be best planned for and met.