Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 28 Nov 2001

Vol. 545 No. 2

Written Answers. - School Absenteeism.

Minister for Education and Science (Dr. Woods)

I am aware of the situation referred to by the Deputy. The Deputy will appreciate, however, that it would be inappropriate for me to comment on individual cases. I can assure her that every effort is being made to ensure that the children in question obtain appropriate school placements.

School attendance is currently governed by the School Attendance Act, 1926. Under the 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 with the Garda for the remainder of the country, including the Rathfarnham area. It is open to the enforcement authorities to prosecute parents or guardians of children under the terms of the Act where it is considered that either the level of attendance at a recognised school or the education received by other means is not satisfactory. In such cases, the onus of proof under the terms of section 18(2) of the Act rests on the person being prosecuted and the court decides the issue.

I share the Deputy's concern about school attendance. For this reason, I have initiated a programme comprising both legislative measures and special targeted initiatives to combat the problem of school non-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 Education Welfare Board and a nationwide educational welfare service, with a view to ensuring that each child attends a recognised school or otherwise receives an adequate level of education. The National Education Welfare Board has been established on an interim basis and I have recently given approval for the recruitment of a chief executive officer. The number of educational welfare officers required for the implementation of the Act will be determined by the board as part of its preparations for the full implementation of the Act. The service will be implemented on a phased basis, in line with a plan to be developed by the board. It is my intention that the new National Education Welfare Board will, ultimately, cover the entire country.