Emmet Stagg
Question:1228 Mr. Stagg asked the Minister for Education and Science the extent of the educational welfare officer service in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1880/05]
View answerWednesday, 26 January 2005
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Written answers
Since its formal launch in December 2003, the aim of the National Educational Welfare Board has been to provide a service to the most disadvantaged areas and most at-risk groups. Five regional teams have been established with bases in Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Galway and Waterford and staff have been deployed in areas of greatest disadvantage and in areas designated under the Government's RAPID programme. Some 13 towns with significant school going populations, 12 of which are designated under the Government's RAPID programme, also now have educational welfare officers allocated to them. In addition, the board will follow up on urgent cases nationally where children are not currently receiving an education.
During the summer of 2004, the board undertook a survey of the levels of school attendance for the school year 2003-04. This is the first time that data on school attendance at national level have been collected. The findings of the survey support the targeting policy followed by the board to date in appointing educational welfare officers to the areas of greatest disadvantage.
In response to a request from the board my Department approved the recruitment of an additional ten staff in November 2004 to meet identified needs. Decisions relating to the assignment of the additional staff to specific areas are a matter for the board which is an independent statutory agency. The board has indicated that when the additional staff are recruited, an educational welfare officer will be assigned to County Kildare.
For 2005, I am planning to increase the SWS allocation to €60 million. This will allow me to both increase the number of projects funded and extend the scope of the works covered by funding some more substantial projects than was possible under last year's programme. This level of funding will make a significant impact in upgrading and modernising school buildings.
Applications under the 2005 scheme, including that from the school in question, are currently being assessed in my Department and I intend to publish a list of successful applicants shortly.