Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 9 Mar 1995

Vol. 450 No. 4

Written Answers. - School Attendance.

Mary Flaherty

Question:

13 Miss Flaherty asked the Minister for Education if her attention has been drawn to the fact that in one school attendance area in Dublin, 102 children are out of school following suspension with nowhere to go; and the plans, if any, she has to respond to this situation. [4822/95]

Liam Lawlor

Question:

55 Mr. Lawlor asked the Minister for Education the plans, if any, she has to provide an adequate number of school places for children with behavioural problems who having left primary school have been unable to find suitable second level school places and are being denied their constitutional right to schooling up to the age of 15 years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5103/95]

Minister for Education (Ms Bhreathnach)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 13 and 55 together.

I am very concerned about the problem of children not attending school. This may arise because of failure to enrol them, refusal to accept them or because they have been expelled or suspended. The available evidence suggests that the incidence of non-attendance is on the increase. This is a difficult area which has to be looked at on a number of related fronts.

School enrolment policy is part of the issue. This is a matter for the managerial authorities of each individual school but it is very important that decisions on admission be fair and objective. To this end, in 1993 I agreed with the managerial authorities that selection on the basis of academic ability must be discontinued. Policy on discipline and suspension is also central to this issue. My Department, following full consultation, has issued broad guidelines to both primary and post-primary schools on this aspect. The guidelines lay considerable stress on the use of suspension only as a last resort and I am satisfied that schools also see it in that way. Where a pupil has been suspended as a result of disruptive behavour and where alternative arrangements need to be made, my Department's Inspectorate actively assists with the placement of the student in either the original school or in another school.

In addition to the measures which I have mentioned a number of initiatives have been taken in an effort to increase school attendance among pupils who may be at risk. These include: the appointment of a Minister of State with responsibility for children at risk; the establishment of a working party to examine the School Attendance Act, 1926 and the publication of the Truancy report. Subsequent to the publication of this report the Minister of State set up a task force within the Department to examine submissions on the report and to make recommendations for further action; the expansion of the Youthreach programmes which provide two years integrated education, training and work experience for young people who have left school early; Youth Encounter Projects accommodate children who for various reasons including behavioural problems, are not participating in mainstream education and the appointment of additional psychologists to facilitate the early identification of children with behavioural or emotional problems. These initiatives will be kept under close review and any necessary additional action taken in order to deal with this complex problem.