"I'm not a great fan"
Tánaiste Michael Martin has come under fire over comments he made about homeschooling.
Martin admitted he isn't a huge fan of homeschooling because it takes the social element away from children.
He told the Irish Examiner that socialising is so important for children's development.
"I don’t want to comment too much, but I think it does speak to the importance of socialisation, particularly in education, the idea that people should be educated in schools,” Mr. Martin said.
“I’m not a great fan of homeschooling. I think children need to socialise,” he said.
The Green Party's Pauline O’Reilly slated Martin's comments.
She stressed that he should educate himself on the benefits of homeschooling.
“The key here is for the Tánaiste to educate himself and to show tolerance and kindness towards young people whether they are in school or homeschooled.
Another parent said, "I'd love to see our Tánaiste socialise with the parents of disabled children in Ireland who are forced to homeschool due to the failings of this govt. Why don't you show to our forums sometime and say it to our faces?"
Calls to ban homework in Ireland.
Martin's comments come after parents and children called for a homework ban in Ireland.
Many children wrote to Minister Foley and said homework was "a waste of time". Others said it was a "burden to parents, kids, and teachers."
However, there are no current plans to scrap homework, the Minister for Education confirmed.
Both Leo Varadkar and Michael D. Higgins have expressed concerns about the amount of homework children are getting in Ireland.
However, Varadkar does not believe in a complete ban on homework.
He previously said there's a place for homework in our education system, but we need to have a fair balance.
“You could have a long day in class, get home in the early evening, and then face, you know, three hours of homework.
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