Kathleen Lynch
Question:173 Kathleen Lynch asked the Minister for Education if the review of the School Attendance Act has been completed. [2801/95]
Written Answers. - School Attendance Act Review.
The Deputy will be aware that I published the report of my Department's working group on school attendance/truancy in April, 1994. This report recommended a number of legislative and administrative changes aimed at improving the current arrangements governing school attendance. Since the report was published my Department has received a range of submissions from interested parties on the steps which should be taken to address this very difficult area.
In keeping with its commitment to address the problems of truancy and early drop-out from school, the Government has charged Minister of State, Deputy Currie, with special responsibility for this area. The Minister of State recently announced the establishment of a special task force to: examine the submissions received from interested parties in response to the report on truancy and consider and make recommendations as to the measures required to address the problem of truancy at first and second level. The task force has already commenced its work in this area.