Vol. 563 No. 2
207 Ms O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Education and Science when it is expected that education welfare officers will be appointed in disadvantaged areas outside the areas formally covered by school attendance officers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7523/03]
The Education (Welfare) Act 2000 which is now fully commenced, established the National Educational Welfare Board as the single national agency with responsibility for school attendance. The board appointed an interim chief executive officer in August 2002 and directors of corporate services and educational services have taken up their posts in the past fortnight. The board is currently recruiting eight further head office staff and proposals from it for the recruitment of an additional cohort of educational welfare officers have now been received and are being examined by my Department. I have allocated a budget of €5.2 million to the new service for the current year. The board will give priority to the areas of greatest disadvantage and the more ‘at risk' groups in the development of the new service. It is intended that the first of the new staff will be appointed later this year.
