Naoise Ó Muirí (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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419. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will outline the progress of the Anseo initiative; and how additional schools may enter later this year. [54689/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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In May I announced a range of measures to tackle school absenteeism. These measures are a key part of my plan to ensure that every child can achieve their full potential, regardless of their background or their ability. Regular attendance in school is essential not just for academic achievement, but for well-being, social development and long-term life outcomes.

One of the initiatives I announced is 'Anseo', a Multi-Dimensional Multi-Tiered System of Supports approach to addressing school attendance. 'Anseo' is an evidenced-based model that enables Tusla Education Support Service staff to support schools to analyse their data in a tiered and systematic way and which allows schools to shape their response to their schools’ absence issues. The model was piloted in four schools in the 2023/24 school year.

A further sixty schools have now been selected to take part in ‘Anseo’ from the start of the current school year. The sixty schools selected include a mixture of DEIS and non DEIS, primary, post-primary, urban, rural, and special schools across the country.

TESS staff work with the schools throughout the 2025/26 school year, promoting and supporting the implementation of the model which will enable schools to develop effective and appropriate strategies to respond to the drivers of school absenteeism.

My Department has been informed by TESS that these schools are currently completing training on the use of the Anseo model with support from the TESS Anseo Team. The schools have set up their own School Attendance Teams and are being supported by the Anseo Team, to create their vision and mission statements for school attendance and to devise their annual School Attendance Plan and Attendance Team Assessment. Benchmark school attendance data from the 2024/25 school year is being compiled.

It is expected that Anseo will be offered to additional schools in early 2026. The details of the schools selected will be available over the coming months.