Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 22 Jun 1999

Vol. 506 No. 5

Written Answers. - Early School Leavers.

Nora Owen

Question:

247 Mrs. Owen asked the Minister for Education and Science the system in place for post primary schools to notify FÁS of the names of early school leavers; if his Department receives this information annually from all post-primary schools; if so, the efforts made to ensure that early school leavers are notified of training opportunities with relevant authorities including Youthreach and FÁS; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15932/99]

Minister for Education and Science (Mr. Martin)

Schools are asked to make a return twice yearly, in February and October, to their local FÁS office of pupils who have left school early. The information is used for compilation of a social guarantee register so that FÁS can contact the young people concerned regarding education and training options. This register is used for recruitment onto Youthreach in FÁS and the VEC sectors. Youthreach centres have also developed referral networks linking with schools, youth services, probation and welfare, juvenile liaison, area partnership, employers and other relevant community groups.

Details of all pupils on roll on 30 September each year in post-primary schools are gathered by my Department and entered on a post-primary pupil database. By matching the previous year's file against the current file, it is possible to isolate the pupils below leaving certificate year two who did not progress to full-time education within the State in the current year. There could be a number of reasons for this including emigration, death, transfer to a private college etc. as well as early leaving, and there is a considerable time lag before the data is available. Details are also gathered on the numbers who leave ESF-aided programmes early and this process is now being expanded to cover all programmes.

The Data Protection Act precludes the transfer of personal data in electronic format to other agencies without prior client permission or legal cover. Section 28 of the recently published Education (Welfare) Bill 1999 proposes a legal basis for the sharing of personal data with other agencies for the purpose of education or training tracking and placement, or research. In addition, the Bill raises the compulsory school leaving age from 15 to 16 or completion of junior cycle, whichever is the later, and proposes the establishment of an educational welfare service to support children, families and schools in meeting the attendance requirements of the Bill. It is also envisaged that young people aged between 16 and 18 who leave school early to enter work will be registered with the educational welfare service with a view to advising them on appropriate education and training options.

The new legislation will provide a basis for a more comprehensive tracking and follow-up system to address the needs of those at risk of early school leaving, and will provide for the exchange of data with a range of agencies such as FÁS, CERT, traveller and Youthreach training centres and for research purposes. In addition, my Department intends to introduce the personal public service number for pupils in the post-primary system with effect from l August 2000.