Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 22 May 2001

Vol. 536 No. 5

Written Answers. - School Attendance.

Róisín Shortall

Question:

376 Ms Shortall asked the Minister for Education and Science if his attention has been drawn to the chronic school attendance problem in Ballymun, Dublin 11; and the reason there is no school attendance officer designated to the area. [14919/01]

Minister for Education and Science (Dr. Woods)

School attendance is currently governed by the School Attendance Act, 1926. Under this Act, responsibility for the enforcement of school attendance rests with the school attendance committees in Dublin city, Cork city, Waterford city and the county borough of Dún Laoghaire-Blackrock, and the gardaí for the remainder of the country including the Ballymun area. I assure the Deputy that I share her concern about non-school attendance and early school leaving. It is for this reason that my Department has initiated a programme comprising both legislative measures and special targeted initiatives to combat the problem of non-school attendance and early school leaving.

The recently enacted Education (Welfare) Act, 2000, will replace and reform current school attendance legislation. The 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. My Department has requested nominations to the board from the education partners and relevant Departments, and these have now been received. It is my intention to have the board in place very shortly.

The number of educational welfare officers required for the implementation of the Act will be determined by the board as part of their preparations for the full implementation of the Act. 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 on areas of disadvantage generally.

In January last I announced the new programme, Giving Children an Even Break, to tackle educational disadvantage at primary level. This programme will cost some £26 million over a three-year period. Under the programme, schools with the highest concentrations of pupils at risk of not achieving their potential in education are targeted with extra teaching and financial assistance to provide additional in school and out of schools supports for the pupils concerned. There are a number of other programmes in place to address educational disadvantage at both primary and second level. These include the Early Start pilot project, Breaking the Cycle pilot project in primary schools, the disadvantaged areas scheme, home/school/community liaison scheme and the eight to 15 early school leaver initiative which cover both levels, the Stay in School retention initiative at second level and learning and support teachers. Many pupils in the Ballymun area are already benefiting from these initiatives.