Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 17 January 2024
523. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Education the funding available to parents who home school their children in cases in which there is a knowledge gap and external assistance may be needed to cover a specific subject required by the curriculum to an appropriate standard as in the case of a student (details supplied). [57002/23]
View answerUnder Article 42 of the Constitution, the State acknowledges that the primary and natural educator of the child is the family. The State guarantees to respect the right and duty of parents to provide, according to their means, for the religious and moral, intellectual, physical and social education of their children. Parents are free to provide this education in their homes or in private schools or in schools recognised by my Department.
Under Section 14 of the Education (Welfare) Act 2000, the Alternative Education Assessment and Registration Service (AEARS) in Tusla is responsible for maintaining a register of all children who are home schooled or who attend a non-recognised school.
There is no funding available from my Department, to assist with the cost of education, where parents choose to educate their child in a place other than in a recognised school.
