asked the Minister for Education if he is aware that there is a growing demand for a change in the school hours in Dublin, especially for infants under eight years of age, in view of the fact that mothers have to make four journeys per day with the children going to and from school, viz., at 9.30 to bring them to school, at 12.30 to take them home during the break in the school day, at 2 o'clock to return them to school and at 4 o'clock to take them home; and if, in view of the time so spent as a result of which the mothers have little time for household duties until after 4 p.m., he will arrange that the children under seven years need not return to school for the second session of the day.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Dublin School Hours.
Mr. Byrne
I am not aware that there has been any special demand for a change in the school hours for infants such as that suggested.
In schools which adopt the dual day arrangement the regulations provide for the attendance of pupils at secular instruction for a minimum period of three and a half hours after the completion of roll call in the case of seniors and for two and a half hours in the case of infants. The normal time for the completion of roll call in the morning is 10.15 a.m. If the younger children were to attend the morning session only their daily attendance period for secular instruction would be reduced to one and three quarter hours as the period from 12 o'clock noon to the completion of the session at 12.30 p.m. is normally devoted to religious instruction. In view of these considerations it would not be feasible or desirable to adopt the Deputy's suggestion.
Mr. Byrne
Will the Minister consider going back to the old school hours of ten years ago when children went to school at 9 o'clock, got half or threequarters of an hour break for lunch and left at 3 o'clock? The latter part of the question is worthy of more consideration than the Minister has given it. Mothers have to make four journeys a day to bring their children to and from school and have no time to do their housework. Here in the Dáil every night in the week Dublin Deputies have been receiving deputations of mothers of children attending the national schools with reference to this matter. I am making the Minister aware of the fact now as he says he has no knowledge of it.
The Deputy made a speech and did not ask a supplementary question.
Mr. Byrne
And the Minister will not say whether or not he will give it consideration.