This is twice the rate recorded in non-Deis schools, according to new research. “It is particularly worrying that attendance in primary and post-primary Deis schools is not recovering as well as non-Deis schools in the post-Covid period,” she said. School absence was more prevalent in primary and post-primary schools serving disadvantaged communities. Between 2022/23 and 2023/24, there was a modest improvement in attendance in primary schools, but a significant group of schools have seen an increase over the same timeframe. In terms of post-primary schools, more than a quarter of students in Deis schools missed 20 or more days, compared to 19 per cent for non-Deis schools.

Source: The Irish Times January 26, 2026 09:01 UTC