Liz O'Donnell
Question:28 Ms O'Donnell asked the Minister for Education the level of truancy in schools; and the terms of reference of the task force on truancy. [2599/95]
Vol. 448 No. 6
28 Ms O'Donnell asked the Minister for Education the level of truancy in schools; and the terms of reference of the task force on truancy. [2599/95]
I do not have detailed and reliable information on the levels of truancy in schools.
On the last occasion on which comprehensive data on school attendance was collected, in 1983-84, the average daily attendance was fairly constant at 90 to 91 per cent. The House will be aware that the Minister for Education published the report of her Department's working group on truancy in April 1994. One of the issues highlighted in that report was the absence of adequate data in relation to this area and the working group made a number of recommendations in relation to this matter.