'You have a duty of care': Parents warned not to take children out of school for holidays 

There has been a “noticeable increase” in parents of primary school children opting to travel abroad in June rather than July and August, according to Tom Randles, president of the Irish Travel Agents Association.

The number of children absent from school due to family holidays has skyrocketed post-pandemic.

The number of school days primary school children lost due to their parents taking them out of class during term to go on holidays stands at almost 360,000 days, almost three times higher than prior to the pandemic.

Primary school principals have warned that parents are not aware of the damage that missing extended periods of school has on a young child, even for a holiday.

The Department of Education has launched a new strategy aimed at tackling “concerning levels” of school absences.

There has been a “noticeable increase” in parents of primary school children opting to travel abroad in June rather than July and August, according to Tom Randles, president of the Irish Travel Agents Association.

“It’s really down to value, particularly if they are cost conscious,” he said.

Mr Randles said the cost of a holiday in Majorca is more than €1,000 more expensive in July compared to June.

The same trip to Costa Daurada near Barcelona would cost €1,400 less at the beginning of June than it would in July, and families could expect a saving of more than €1,500 if they booked the same trip to Corfu in June over July.

“That’s with the same properties, and the same number of adults and children,” Mr Randles said.

Another factor driving term-time holidays may be the “extremely hot temperatures” in Europe later in the peak summer months, he added.

School principals, who are required to report extended school absences to Tusla, say that parents need to be more aware of the impact that taking children out of school has on them emotionally and socially.

“It’s the middle class to the more affluent who are taking these blocks of holidays,” one school principal told the Irish Examiner.

“I think there needs to be an education piece for these people of the damage they are actually doing for their children.

“Parents don’t seem to think it’s causing any harm, these are very educated people, [and they think] ‘we know what’s best for our children, they’ll catch up, my child is bright’ but they don’t seem to see the impact it’s having on their child emotionally or socially.”

They added: "It has to be more evident in the public domain, that this is a very serious thing to do, that it's not the right thing to do for your family, taking them out.

"That needs to be put across; That you have a duty of care to your child and taking them out of school for a holiday should be avoided at all costs.”