Schools Administration
Seanad Éireann — 2026-10-01
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Michael Moynihan (FF), Cork North-West

There have been a lot of changes to the school year. There was a standardisation of the holidays at Easter and Christmas and for the breaks in November and February. It is one important piece that we have to look at in the round. The schools do not just operate as an educational institution. Children going to school is a vital fabric of our national story. That all blends into the hospitality industry as well when kids are off and so forth. It is important. The point the Senator was making at the early part of her contribution is that a lot of parents are getting themselves ready to send the kids back to school in the month of August. The expenditure part in that regard is not lost on me. The fundamental point is that we need to allow the holidays to be as long as possible and that 1 September is one of those dates. The review has happened to date but the point the Senator has made is not lost on me. It will certainly be documented for any further consideration of that at Department level with the education partners and it will form part of that discussion.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/seanad/2026-10-01/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-10-05T01:01:00+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-10-01