Latest news with #ChildandFamilyAgencyTusla
RTÉ News
19-05-2025
- Politics
- RTÉ News
8.6% of primary school days lost to pupil absences in 2022/23
Data from the Child and Family Agency Tusla has shown a dramatic increase in primary pupil absenteeism in recent years with the latest figures showing that 8.6% of school days at primary level were lost to pupil absences in the 2022/23 school year. This compares to 5.2% of school days lost in the year prior to the Covid-19 pandemic in 2018/19. Tusla has confirmed that over 110,000 primary and 65,000 post-primary students missed 20 or more days during that academic year. This compares to 54,890 primary school pupils and 44,874 post primary students missing 20 or more days in 2018/19. Those numbers increased dramatically in subsequent years and the latest data confirms that they remained significantly higher in 2022/23, which is the latest year that figures have been compiled and published. The data shows that more than 11% of school days in post-primary schools were lost to student absences in the 2022/23 school year. This is lower than the proportion recorded in 2018/19, when 14.5% of days were recorded as lost. Minister for Education Helen McEntee has announced a number of measures to tackle what she has called "hugely alarming" absentee rates, including a national multimedia campaign to begin in September, to promote the importance of regular school attendance. Sixty schools will also be involved in a pilot scheme to analyse and respond to attendance data, and an expansion of educational welfare officer capacity has been promised. A scoping project to deliver real-time attendance data for better decision-making and intervention is also planned. In a statement, Ms McEntee said she plans to revise the Education (Welfare) Act, 2000 to strengthen statutory supports for young children, including bringing children under six attending primary school within its scope to ensure earlier intervention, and will shortly publish a new national plan on educational disadvantage, aligned with these measures. Currently the legislation only applies to children over the age of five. Minister McEntee said: "Regular attendance in school is essential not just for academic achievement, but for wellbeing, social development and long-term life outcomes. "Unfortunately, the stark reality is that in recent years we have seen a decline in regular attendance, and a rise in the number of children and young people missing a very concerning number of school days," Ms McEntee added. "School attendance is linked with attainment and with completing school. While there is excellent practice in schools to support children and young people to attend, we must listen to the data from Tusla and redouble our efforts".
Irish Examiner
23-04-2025
- Business
- Irish Examiner
Government warns Tusla about staying 'within budget' this year after overspend of €80m in 2024
Child and Family Agency Tusla had a projected overspend of €80m last year, and it must work 'to avoid a similar situation arising in 2025', the Department of Children has said. Tusla said the 'demand-led' pressures which caused it to have an overspend last year 'are expected to continue to exert pressure' this year. Minister for children Norma Foley on Wednesday published a roadmap for Tusla this year, with a 'performance statement' setting out policy guidance and direction, as well as what should be prioritised in 2025. It said that, despite a 'historic investment' of more than €1.1bn in 2024, Tusla was still projected to finish out the year with a significant overspend. The department said: 'The main drivers of this overspend are demand-led increases in residential care placements, private foster care placements and increased volumes of separated children seeking international protection arriving in Ireland.' It said supplementary funding to match this €80m overspend was secured by the department in October. The department was clear Tusla's business plan for this year must align with this performance statement, as it requested more detailed financial reporting and forecasting by Tusla to track emerging overspend on a monthly basis. 'In developing Business Plan 2025, Tusla must ensure that the financial framework presented is in line with and does not breach the maximum budget available,' it said. 'To the extent that Tusla may face additional cost pressures in 2025, the business plan should outline mitigating controls being put in place, and these should be implemented during 2025, to ensure that Tusla remains within budget for the year.' In its subsequent business plan, Tusla said it would maintain 'good oversight' on its budget allocation to ensure the 'least possible risk' of overspending again this year. Breaking down its €80m overspend, it said €29m was in the area of separated children seeking international protection, €13m was from disability costs from the HSE, €5m was in court-directed guardian ad-litem costs, and €34m in mainstream costs. However, it warned keeping costs down would be difficult given the need for its services. 'Based on the current trends being experienced and Tusla's statutory duty to provide services for Separated Children as well as mainstream care, we do not expect a reduction in demand for these services in 2025, resulting in continued pressure to remain within budget,' it said. From this year's budget, €23m will be used to address 'demand-led deficits' rolling forward from last year, which includes existing overspends that were not covered by the additional Government funding. Another area on overspend was on staff travel, with an extra €2m projected to have been overspent in 2024. 'Tusla has introduced restrictions on travel to reduce expenditure and focus on mainly service-related travel,' it said. 'Cost-control measures continue to be monitored for travel, hotel usage and other costs to ensure that the best use of resources is being obtained.' This year, Tusla will be in receipt of more than €1.2bn from the Government, an increase on its 2024 allocation.
