As the summer approaches, people are starting to think about making plans for summer holidays – and of course those holidays cost three times more in peak season.

This is largely due to school holidays, meaning children are now missing school at an increasingly higher rate.

So, should parents think twice before taking kids out of school on holiday?

Principal of St Laurance’s O’Toole’s senior boys national school in Dublin Mark Candon told The Pat Kenny Show that “if you’re not in you can’t win”.

“I never would have liked school that much myself but actually, believe it or not, the more you’re there the better you do,” he said.

“So, the less you miss, the better you’re going to do – and I think that’s actually research and statistically proven.”

Mr Candon said he sees the culture around school attendance as having changed since the COVID-19 pandemic.

You can listen back to the full interview here:

Main image: Family holiday. Image: Panther Media GmbH / Alamy. 9 July 2013