Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 22 May 2001

Vol. 536 No. 5

Written Answers. - Education Welfare Act.

Róisín Shortall

Question:

373 Ms Shortall asked the Minister for Education and Science the process through which schools were informed of the provisions of the Education (Welfare) Act, 2000; if all schools were contacted regarding the Act; if he is satisfied that its provisions have been sufficiently publicised; and the further plans he has to inform schools of its provisions. [14916/01]

Róisín Shortall

Question:

374 Ms Shortall asked the Minister for Education and Science the reason the national educational welfare board has not been established. [14917/01]

Róisín Shortall

Question:

375 Ms Shortall asked the Minister for Education and Science the number of additional school attendance officers or educational welfare officers who have been appointed since July, 2000; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14918/01]

Minister for Education and Science (Dr. Woods)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 373, 374 and 375 together.

The Education (Welfare) Act provides for the establishment of a National Educational Welfare Board and a nation-wide educational welfare service with a view to ensuring that each child attends a recognised school or otherwise receives an adequate level of education. The Education (Welfare) Act, 2000, was signed into law on 5 July 2000. A guide to the Act has recently been placed on my Department's website and I intend to issue copies of this guide to each school to coincide with the establishment of the board.

Nominations to the board have now been received from the education partners and relevant Departments. These have now been received following consultations, as required by the Act, and I hope to be in a position to establish the board very shortly.

The recruitment and deployment of educational welfare officers will be addressed by the board as part of the preparations for the full implementation of the Act. The Act provides for the appointment of educational welfare officers and that existing school attendance officers will transfer to the board when established. The recruitment and employment of school attendance officers since July 2000 is a matter for the relevant local authorities.

It is my intention that the new educational welfare service will ultimately cover the entire country. The service will be implemented on a phased basis, in line with a plan to be developed by the board. The priority in the initial stages will be to focus on areas of disadvantage.