School

Enrolling your children, international schools, childcare.

Checked on 23 October 2026

How do you enrol your child in school in Ireland (public school, French school, qualifications)?

In Ireland, you must have your child educated from 6 to 16 (or until 3 years of secondary school), but most children start primary school at 4 or 5, in September. Public school is free for every legally resident child under 18, and you apply directly to the school of your choice, on the dates set by its annual admission notice. In Dublin, the Lycée français international Samuel-Beckett follows the French curriculum from petite section to terminale.

Costs: Public school free; voluntary contribution optional; free textbooks (refundable deposit of €50 possible at secondary level); school transport generally paid; French school: ask the school for its fees
Timeframes: Compulsory education from 6 to 16; school year starts the week of 1 September; applications on the dates set by each school's annual admission notice; appeal: 63 days after the refusal

Steps

Look at the schools near you. There are several types: denominational (denominational), multi-denominational (multi-denominational, such as the Educate Together schools), Irish-language (Gaelscoil), and a few fee-paying private schools.
Read each school's annual admission notice (annual admission notice), published on its website: it gives the date applications open, the deadline, the date of the reply and the date by which you must accept the place.
Submit your applications. You can apply to several schools, but you can only accept one place, and you must tell the chosen school about the other offers received or expected.
If the school is full (oversubscribed), it ranks pupils according to the criteria of its admission policy. It cannot select on the basis of grades, attendance at a pre-school, an interview, your job or your income.
If the school refuses because it is full, first ask for a review by the school's board of management (form BOMR1; reply within 42 days), then appeal to the Department of Education and Youth with a so-called "section 29" appeal, within 63 days of the initial refusal. If the refusal is on another ground, you can appeal directly, without going through the school first. If you cannot find any place, contact the Educational Welfare Officer (officer responsible for schooling) at Tusla.
Arrived from abroad? Ask for the exemption from Irish from the school principal if your child is entitled to it (see costs and timelines). Reply within 21 working days, appeal possible within 30 days.
If your child does not yet speak English well, ask what support the school offers: some have support teachers for English as an additional language (EAL).
Foreign qualifications: to find out what your qualification or your child's corresponds to, download the free comparison statement from NARIC Ireland (qualifications recognition centre, hosted by QQI).

Documents

Each school's application form (according to its admission policy).
The child's birth certificate or ID, proof of address, the child's PPS number (sheet IE-NIF-TOUS-001): to be checked school by school, as the pages consulted give no national list.
Reports and school attendance certificates from the previous school, useful for placing the child in the right class and for the exemption from Irish.

Costs and timelines

Schooling: free in State-funded schools. A public school cannot charge for admission; it may ask you for a voluntary contribution, which you are not obliged to pay.
Textbooks (2026-2027 year): free and lent out at both primary and secondary level; at secondary level, the school may ask for a refundable deposit of €50. Still at your expense: uniform, photocopies, outings, mock exams.
Meals: free hot meal at primary level if the school takes part in the School Meals Scheme (all primary schools can join, not all have done so); other arrangements at secondary level.
School transport: for children living 3.2 km or more from their primary school or 4.8 km or more from their secondary school; generally paid, free with a medical card where the service exists.
2026-2027 calendar: October mid-term break from 26 to 30 October 2026; Christmas from 22 December 2026 (last day of school) to 6 January 2027 (return); February 2027: 18 and 19 February at primary level (up to 5 days depending on the school), week of 15 to 19 February at secondary level; Easter from 19 March (last day) to 5 April 2027 (return). Schools closed in July and almost all of August.
Structure: primary school lasts 8 years (junior and senior infants, then first to sixth class); secondary school at around 12 or 13: Junior Cycle (3 years), Transition Year (optional year), then Senior Cycle up to the Leaving Certificate (school-leaving exam, which opens the way to university through the CAO, the central applications office).
Exemption from Irish: possible if your child has been schooled abroad for at least 3 years in a row without having had the opportunity to learn Irish, and is 12 or over at enrolment or has finished primary school in another country. The exemption can only be requested in a school where English is the language of instruction: not in a Gaelscoil.
Lycée français international Samuel-Beckett (Dublin): a school in the AEFE network (agency for French education abroad), 476 pupils, 15 accredited levels from petite section to terminale. School fees: ask the school (not found in an official source).

Common pitfalls

Waiting until you are settled before looking. The schools you want, especially in cities, can be full: read the admission notices and submit your applications as soon as possible.
Denominational schools. A school that upholds a religion may refuse a pupil of another faith if it is essential to preserve its character; however, your child has the right not to attend religious instruction.
Holidays during the school year. Tusla strongly advises against them, and beyond 20 days of absence in the year, the school must report it to Tusla.
The calendar varies from school to school. The summer holidays and a few closure days depend on the school: ask for its list at the start of the year.
Confusing comparison and recognition. The NARIC Ireland statement is only an opinion, not a legal document: the employer, the university or the professional body decides. For a regulated profession, it is the Irish authority for the profession that recognises your qualification.

What changes by country of origin

EU and EEA citizens and Swiss citizens: the same free access to public school as the Irish, as soon as the child is legally resident in Ireland.
British citizens (Scots included): the same access thanks to the Common Travel Area; calendars and qualifications differ from those of the United Kingdom and Scotland: think of NARIC Ireland to compare.
French-speaking families: the Lycée Samuel-Beckett is accredited by the French Ministry of National Education up to terminale: your child stays in the French system. To move into the Irish system afterwards, compare levels with NARIC Ireland.
Special regions (Gaeltacht, Irish-speaking areas) and Irish-language schools: an Irish-language school may, under conditions, give priority to children who already speak Irish well; and the exemption from Irish can only be requested where English is the language of instruction, so not in a Gaelscoil or in a Gaeltacht school that teaches in Irish.

Official sources (12) ›

Checked on 23 October 2026

Crèche and pre-school in Ireland: what support is available (ECCE, National Childcare Scheme)?

In Ireland, pre-school is not compulsory, but the ECCE (Early Childhood Care and Education, early childhood education programme) provides 15 free hours per week for pre-school-age children, from 2 years and 8 months. For a crèche or a childminder, the National Childcare Scheme (NCS, national childcare subsidy) directly reduces your bill: in 2026, at least €2.14 per hour per child, more if your income is modest. For the NCS, the provider must be registered with Tusla (the Child and Family Agency) and have a contract with the Department of Children (Department of Children, Disability and Equality).

Costs: ECCE: 15 free hours per week; National Childcare Scheme 2026: universal subsidy of €2.14 per hour (45 hours per week at most), income-assessed subsidy of up to €5.10 per hour
Timeframes: ECCE: from 2 years and 8 months on 31 August; NCS subsidy awarded for one year, renewal notice at least 20 working days before it expires

Steps

Find an approved provider (crèche, day nursery, childminder) registered with Tusla and under contract with the Department of Children (Department of Children, Disability and Equality): without both, no NCS subsidy. The list of providers under contract is on the NCS website.
ECCE: enrol your child directly with a provider that takes part in the programme, with a copy of their birth certificate or passport and their PPS number (sheet IE-NIF-TOUS-001).
Create a verified MyGovID (sheet IE-ADMINISTRATIONS-TOUS-001): it is required to apply for the NCS online.
Apply for the NCS on the programme's website, with the children's dates of birth and PPS numbers, your employment situation and income, your spouse's and their PPS number. An application by post is still possible, but it is slower.
Get your CHICK code (Childcare Identifier Code Key, childcare identifier) once the application is accepted, and give it to your provider. They register your child, then you confirm the hours in your NCS account.
The subsidy is paid directly to the provider, who deducts it from your bill. Renew it every year when you receive the notice.

Documents

The child's birth certificate or passport, and their PPS number.
Verified MyGovID (for the online NCS application).
For the income-assessed subsidy: either an automatic assessment by the NCS with Revenue and the Department of Social Protection, using the PPS numbers (faster), or proof of the household's net income for the previous tax year (payslips, etc.; list in the NCS rules published by Pobal, the body that manages the programme).

Costs and timelines

ECCE: 3 hours a day, 5 days a week, 38 weeks a year, free. Extra hours and options (meals, activities) are paid and optional. A booking deposit is possible, limited to 4 weeks of ECCE and refundable once the enrolment is confirmed.
Age for ECCE: being 2 years and 8 months on 31 August and no more than 5 years and 6 months on 30 June of the programme year. Example: a child born in 2024 can attend the 2027-2028 and 2028-2029 years.
NCS, universal subsidy (2026): €2.14 per hour per child, 45 hours per week at most, with no income condition, for children from 6 months to 15 years (15 excluded).
NCS, income-assessed subsidy (2026): for households whose net income is below €68,000 a year; up to €5.10 per hour per child; maximum rate up to €34,000 of net income.
Subsidised hours: up to 45 hours per week if you (and your spouse) work, study or are in training; 20 hours otherwise. ECCE or school hours are not deducted.
Budget 2027: measures announced on 6 October 2026, not yet in force. From September 2027: universal subsidy raised from €2.14 to €2.50 per hour for children up to senior infants (2nd year of primary school); for a child up to senior infants in care for 45 hours per week, fees capped at €250 per week, so €137.50 to pay yourself once the €112.50 subsidy is deducted, that is €550 a month instead of €735 (up to €2,220 saved per year according to gov.ie); maximum rate of the income-assessed subsidy up to €38,500 of income (€34,000 today); reduction for several children under 15 raised from €5,500 to €6,000 (2 children) and from €11,000 to €12,500 (3 or more children). These are budget expenditure measures, applied through the NCS programme: check the amounts at the start of the 2027 school year on the NCS website.
Childminder at home (Budget 2027, subject to the passing of the finance bill): the tax exemption on childcare income earned at the childminder's home (Childcare Services Relief) goes from €15,000 to €20,000 a year from 2027, and the limit of 3 children minded at a time is removed (subject to the rules in force). Measure included in the Finance (No. 2) Bill 2026, introduced on 19 October 2026 and not yet passed.

Common pitfalls

Choosing childcare that is not in the programme. You need registration with Tusla and a contract with the Department of Children: check the NCS list of providers.
Waiting for your verified MyGovID. You need a PPS number, a Public Services Card and a verified mobile: start early, or request an application by post from the NCS Parent Support Centre (Parent Support Centre), which is slower.
Missing the ECCE age. There is no exception to the minimum age; check your child's year of entry in the gov.ie table.
Absences. Your child can lose their ECCE place after 4 weeks of absence in a row (except for long illness or bereavement).
Paying for imposed options. Options are optional; the provider cannot impose them on you or give priority to those who pay for them.

What changes by country of origin

EU and EEA citizens and Swiss citizens: the same support as the Irish, as soon as your children have a PPS number and are in care in Ireland.
British citizens (Scots included): the same access once settled in Ireland, thanks to the Common Travel Area; it is the Irish rules (ECCE, NCS) that apply, not those of Scotland or the rest of the United Kingdom.
Arriving during the year: the income-assessed subsidy is in principle calculated on the income of the previous tax year; if your income has suddenly dropped (job loss, for example), a reassessment based on the last 4 weeks is possible (the subsidy is then awarded for 6 months). Income received abroad must be declared to the NCS; how it is counted is to be checked with the NCS.

Official sources (10) ›

These guides give the general rules. Your situation can change the answer: Moovy looks at it with you and tells you when you need a professional.

How do you enrol your child in school in Ireland (public school, French school, qualifications)?

Costs: Public school free; voluntary contribution optional; free textbooks (refundable deposit of €50 possible at secondary level); school transport generally paid; French school: ask the school for its fees
Timeframes: Compulsory education from 6 to 16; school year starts the week of 1 September; applications on the dates set by each school's annual admission notice; appeal: 63 days after the refusal

Steps

Look at the schools near you. There are several types: denominational (denominational), multi-denominational (multi-denominational, such as the Educate Together schools), Irish-language (Gaelscoil), and a few fee-paying private schools.
Read each school's annual admission notice (annual admission notice), published on its website: it gives the date applications open, the deadline, the date of the reply and the date by which you must accept the place.
Submit your applications. You can apply to several schools, but you can only accept one place, and you must tell the chosen school about the other offers received or expected.
If the school is full (oversubscribed), it ranks pupils according to the criteria of its admission policy. It cannot select on the basis of grades, attendance at a pre-school, an interview, your job or your income.
If the school refuses because it is full, first ask for a review by the school's board of management (form BOMR1; reply within 42 days), then appeal to the Department of Education and Youth with a so-called "section 29" appeal, within 63 days of the initial refusal. If the refusal is on another ground, you can appeal directly, without going through the school first. If you cannot find any place, contact the Educational Welfare Officer (officer responsible for schooling) at Tusla.
Arrived from abroad? Ask for the exemption from Irish from the school principal if your child is entitled to it (see costs and timelines). Reply within 21 working days, appeal possible within 30 days.
If your child does not yet speak English well, ask what support the school offers: some have support teachers for English as an additional language (EAL).
Foreign qualifications: to find out what your qualification or your child's corresponds to, download the free comparison statement from NARIC Ireland (qualifications recognition centre, hosted by QQI).

Documents

Each school's application form (according to its admission policy).
The child's birth certificate or ID, proof of address, the child's PPS number (sheet IE-NIF-TOUS-001): to be checked school by school, as the pages consulted give no national list.
Reports and school attendance certificates from the previous school, useful for placing the child in the right class and for the exemption from Irish.

Costs and timelines

Schooling: free in State-funded schools. A public school cannot charge for admission; it may ask you for a voluntary contribution, which you are not obliged to pay.
Textbooks (2026-2027 year): free and lent out at both primary and secondary level; at secondary level, the school may ask for a refundable deposit of €50. Still at your expense: uniform, photocopies, outings, mock exams.
Meals: free hot meal at primary level if the school takes part in the School Meals Scheme (all primary schools can join, not all have done so); other arrangements at secondary level.
School transport: for children living 3.2 km or more from their primary school or 4.8 km or more from their secondary school; generally paid, free with a medical card where the service exists.
2026-2027 calendar: October mid-term break from 26 to 30 October 2026; Christmas from 22 December 2026 (last day of school) to 6 January 2027 (return); February 2027: 18 and 19 February at primary level (up to 5 days depending on the school), week of 15 to 19 February at secondary level; Easter from 19 March (last day) to 5 April 2027 (return). Schools closed in July and almost all of August.
Structure: primary school lasts 8 years (junior and senior infants, then first to sixth class); secondary school at around 12 or 13: Junior Cycle (3 years), Transition Year (optional year), then Senior Cycle up to the Leaving Certificate (school-leaving exam, which opens the way to university through the CAO, the central applications office).
Exemption from Irish: possible if your child has been schooled abroad for at least 3 years in a row without having had the opportunity to learn Irish, and is 12 or over at enrolment or has finished primary school in another country. The exemption can only be requested in a school where English is the language of instruction: not in a Gaelscoil.
Lycée français international Samuel-Beckett (Dublin): a school in the AEFE network (agency for French education abroad), 476 pupils, 15 accredited levels from petite section to terminale. School fees: ask the school (not found in an official source).

Common pitfalls

Waiting until you are settled before looking. The schools you want, especially in cities, can be full: read the admission notices and submit your applications as soon as possible.
Denominational schools. A school that upholds a religion may refuse a pupil of another faith if it is essential to preserve its character; however, your child has the right not to attend religious instruction.
Holidays during the school year. Tusla strongly advises against them, and beyond 20 days of absence in the year, the school must report it to Tusla.
The calendar varies from school to school. The summer holidays and a few closure days depend on the school: ask for its list at the start of the year.
Confusing comparison and recognition. The NARIC Ireland statement is only an opinion, not a legal document: the employer, the university or the professional body decides. For a regulated profession, it is the Irish authority for the profession that recognises your qualification.

What changes by country of origin

EU and EEA citizens and Swiss citizens: the same free access to public school as the Irish, as soon as the child is legally resident in Ireland.
British citizens (Scots included): the same access thanks to the Common Travel Area; calendars and qualifications differ from those of the United Kingdom and Scotland: think of NARIC Ireland to compare.
French-speaking families: the Lycée Samuel-Beckett is accredited by the French Ministry of National Education up to terminale: your child stays in the French system. To move into the Irish system afterwards, compare levels with NARIC Ireland.
Special regions (Gaeltacht, Irish-speaking areas) and Irish-language schools: an Irish-language school may, under conditions, give priority to children who already speak Irish well; and the exemption from Irish can only be requested where English is the language of instruction, so not in a Gaelscoil or in a Gaeltacht school that teaches in Irish.

Official sources (12) ›

Checked on 23 October 2026

Crèche and pre-school in Ireland: what support is available (ECCE, National Childcare Scheme)?

Costs: ECCE: 15 free hours per week; National Childcare Scheme 2026: universal subsidy of €2.14 per hour (45 hours per week at most), income-assessed subsidy of up to €5.10 per hour
Timeframes: ECCE: from 2 years and 8 months on 31 August; NCS subsidy awarded for one year, renewal notice at least 20 working days before it expires

Steps

Find an approved provider (crèche, day nursery, childminder) registered with Tusla and under contract with the Department of Children (Department of Children, Disability and Equality): without both, no NCS subsidy. The list of providers under contract is on the NCS website.
ECCE: enrol your child directly with a provider that takes part in the programme, with a copy of their birth certificate or passport and their PPS number (sheet IE-NIF-TOUS-001).
Create a verified MyGovID (sheet IE-ADMINISTRATIONS-TOUS-001): it is required to apply for the NCS online.
Apply for the NCS on the programme's website, with the children's dates of birth and PPS numbers, your employment situation and income, your spouse's and their PPS number. An application by post is still possible, but it is slower.
Get your CHICK code (Childcare Identifier Code Key, childcare identifier) once the application is accepted, and give it to your provider. They register your child, then you confirm the hours in your NCS account.
The subsidy is paid directly to the provider, who deducts it from your bill. Renew it every year when you receive the notice.

Documents

The child's birth certificate or passport, and their PPS number.
Verified MyGovID (for the online NCS application).
For the income-assessed subsidy: either an automatic assessment by the NCS with Revenue and the Department of Social Protection, using the PPS numbers (faster), or proof of the household's net income for the previous tax year (payslips, etc.; list in the NCS rules published by Pobal, the body that manages the programme).

Costs and timelines

ECCE: 3 hours a day, 5 days a week, 38 weeks a year, free. Extra hours and options (meals, activities) are paid and optional. A booking deposit is possible, limited to 4 weeks of ECCE and refundable once the enrolment is confirmed.
Age for ECCE: being 2 years and 8 months on 31 August and no more than 5 years and 6 months on 30 June of the programme year. Example: a child born in 2024 can attend the 2027-2028 and 2028-2029 years.
NCS, universal subsidy (2026): €2.14 per hour per child, 45 hours per week at most, with no income condition, for children from 6 months to 15 years (15 excluded).
NCS, income-assessed subsidy (2026): for households whose net income is below €68,000 a year; up to €5.10 per hour per child; maximum rate up to €34,000 of net income.
Subsidised hours: up to 45 hours per week if you (and your spouse) work, study or are in training; 20 hours otherwise. ECCE or school hours are not deducted.
Budget 2027: measures announced on 6 October 2026, not yet in force. From September 2027: universal subsidy raised from €2.14 to €2.50 per hour for children up to senior infants (2nd year of primary school); for a child up to senior infants in care for 45 hours per week, fees capped at €250 per week, so €137.50 to pay yourself once the €112.50 subsidy is deducted, that is €550 a month instead of €735 (up to €2,220 saved per year according to gov.ie); maximum rate of the income-assessed subsidy up to €38,500 of income (€34,000 today); reduction for several children under 15 raised from €5,500 to €6,000 (2 children) and from €11,000 to €12,500 (3 or more children). These are budget expenditure measures, applied through the NCS programme: check the amounts at the start of the 2027 school year on the NCS website.
Childminder at home (Budget 2027, subject to the passing of the finance bill): the tax exemption on childcare income earned at the childminder's home (Childcare Services Relief) goes from €15,000 to €20,000 a year from 2027, and the limit of 3 children minded at a time is removed (subject to the rules in force). Measure included in the Finance (No. 2) Bill 2026, introduced on 19 October 2026 and not yet passed.

Common pitfalls

Choosing childcare that is not in the programme. You need registration with Tusla and a contract with the Department of Children: check the NCS list of providers.
Waiting for your verified MyGovID. You need a PPS number, a Public Services Card and a verified mobile: start early, or request an application by post from the NCS Parent Support Centre (Parent Support Centre), which is slower.
Missing the ECCE age. There is no exception to the minimum age; check your child's year of entry in the gov.ie table.
Absences. Your child can lose their ECCE place after 4 weeks of absence in a row (except for long illness or bereavement).
Paying for imposed options. Options are optional; the provider cannot impose them on you or give priority to those who pay for them.

What changes by country of origin

EU and EEA citizens and Swiss citizens: the same support as the Irish, as soon as your children have a PPS number and are in care in Ireland.
British citizens (Scots included): the same access once settled in Ireland, thanks to the Common Travel Area; it is the Irish rules (ECCE, NCS) that apply, not those of Scotland or the rest of the United Kingdom.
Arriving during the year: the income-assessed subsidy is in principle calculated on the income of the previous tax year; if your income has suddenly dropped (job loss, for example), a reassessment based on the last 4 weeks is possible (the subsidy is then awarded for 6 months). Income received abroad must be declared to the NCS; how it is counted is to be checked with the NCS.

Official sources (10) ›

These guides give the general rules. Your situation can change the answer: Moovy looks at it with you and tells you when you need a professional.

School

How do you enrol your child in school in Ireland (public school, French school, qualifications)?

Steps

Documents

Costs and timelines

Common pitfalls

What changes by country of origin

Crèche and pre-school in Ireland: what support is available (ECCE, National Childcare Scheme)?

Steps

Documents

Costs and timelines

Common pitfalls

What changes by country of origin

Other topics

School

How do you enrol your child in school in Ireland (public school, French school, qualifications)?

Steps

Documents

Costs and timelines

Common pitfalls

What changes by country of origin

Crèche and pre-school in Ireland: what support is available (ECCE, National Childcare Scheme)?

Steps

Documents

Costs and timelines

Common pitfalls

What changes by country of origin

Other topics