Colleagues Professor Judith Harford and Dr Brian Fleming provide a thoughtful op-ed on chronic absenteeism in schools, with particular insights into DEIS schools

Posted 8 September, 2025

PData compiled by (opens in a new window)Tusla reveals a significant rise in student absenteeism, with substantial numbers of both primary and post-primary students missing school on a regular basis, a development Minister for Education, (opens in a new window)Helen McEntee, has described as(opens in a new window)“hugely alarming”.

These figures, for the 2022/23 school year, are derived from school attendance records, which are reported by schools to the Tusla Education Support Service, the agency currently responsible for monitoring school attendance under the Educational Welfare Act.

More information can be found (opens in a new window)here.