Home Schooling

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 12 December 2023

Tuesday, 12 December 2023

Questions (350)

Catherine Murphy

Question:

350. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Education the number of primary and second level pupils that are being home schooled, by county; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55268/23]

Written answers

Minister for Education

The Irish constitution acknowledges the role of a parent or guardian as the primary educator of their child and has enshrined in law that a parent or guardian may home educate their child or may choose to send their child to a school which is not a recognised school in accordance with section 10 of the Education Act, 1998.

While the State cannot oblige parents or guardians to send their children to recognised schools, it must satisfy itself that all children receive a certain minimum education.

Tusla’s Alternative Education Assessment and Registration Service (AEARS) is under the remit of my Department and its function is to assess the educational provision and to maintain a register of children who are being educated in a place other than in a recognised school.

In response to the Deputy’s query, an age breakdown by county of children on the Section 14 Register is outlined in the table below. For data protection purposes, numbers less than five are suppressed to mitigate the risk of identifying specific children and young people within the data provided.

*Denotes a number less than 5 but total number in County recorded.

County by Age	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	Total
Carlow			*	*	*	*	*	*	5	*	*	8		32
Cavan		*	7	*	5	5	*	6	5	5	7	5	*	55
Clare	*	6	*	7	6	6	5	10	11	10	6	5		76
Cork	*	15	22	23	29	32	26	38	30	31	38	27	*	314
Donegal	*	*	*	14	6	12	6	7	11	12	9	12		95
Dublin	*	*	10	28	26	41	41	36	29	42	38	20	*	317
Galway	*	*	5	10	12	19	18	16	16	18	9	9	*	139
Kerry	*	*	6	5	12	7	8	13	12	15	8	13	*	104
Kildare		*	*	9	*	12	14	13	*	11	13	*	*	89
Kilkenny			*	*	*	*	*	7	*	9	5	7		42
Laois				*	8	8	6	10	12	7	9	7		69
Leitrim				5	*	7	*	5	5	*	6	6		41
Limerick	*	*	10	8	5	7	*	7	7	14	*	*		71
Longford				*		*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	21
Louth		*	*	*	8	7	12	5	*	7	10	*	*	60
Mayo		*	*	5	10	12	7	10	8	14	11	11	*	95
Meath	*	*	*	13	8	17	19	15	11	11	13	15	*	130
Monaghan		*	*	6	*	6	7	6	*	6	*	*	*	46
Offaly		*	*		*	5	*	5	*	*	*	5	*	32
Roscommon	*	*	*	*	6	10	8	10	7	11	9	*		76
Sligo		*	*	*	*	5	8	*	*	7	5	5		47
Tipperary	*	*	5	6	8	10	13	9	8	11	11	6		90
Waterford		*	*	*	6	10	13	12	12	7	*	7	*	79
Westmeath		*		5	6	8	6	11	6	11	10	*	*	69
Wexford				6	9	7	9	10	10	9	13	9		82
Wicklow			*	*	12	13	14	7	9	14	8	10	*	94
Total	18	50	97	182	202	274	261	273	234	294	251	209	20	2365