Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 10 Jun 1993

Vol. 432 No. 2

Written Answers. - School Attendance Staff.

Liam Fitzgerald

Question:

131 Mr. L. Fitzgerald asked the Minister for Education the number of vacancies to be filled in relation to the School Attendance Staffing levels in the County Borough of Dublin; the number of additional posts that will be required to be filled by September 1993; the number of pupils presently on the roll as covered by the School Attendance Act, 1926, in the Corporation area; the approximate number of these who are absent from school each day either through mitching or because they will not or cannot go to school; the number of absentees that are being coped with, on average, by School Attendance Staff; her views on whether there is an urgent and desperate need to keep those children off the streets and out of danger of sliding into crime; the action, if any, she proposes to take in the area of school attendance staff and in any other areas to address this serious problem; and if she will make a statement on the matter.

Minister for Education (Ms Bhreathnach)

Under the School Attendance Act, 1926, the appointment of school attendance officers and provision for their remuneration are matters for the appropriate council of the county borough, which in this case is Dublin Corporation. I understand that at present there are ten vacancies in the five school attendance areas under the jurisdiction of the Corporation.

If Dublin Corporation proposed the appointment of officers to fill current vacancies I would be happy to sanction such appointments. It would, however, be a matter for the corporation to fund the posts.

The information requested by the Deputy regarding pupil numbers would not be available in my Department.

I share the Deputy's concern about the non-attendance of children at school, and would like to point out that a review of the working of the School Attendance Act, including an examination of the roles and responsibilities of the various agencies involved, is under way at present.