asked the Minister for Education when the School Attendance Act will be reviewed in the light of the present anomalous system of dealing with the problems of truancy from schools, which is a significant factor in the level of illiteracy amongst primary school leavers; and the reason there are no school attendance officers outside a few major urban areas.
Written Answers. - School Attendance Act.
173.
In the Green Paper "Partners in Education" published in November 1985, the provision of a general advisory and educational welfare service, which would include school attendance, is envisaged as a function of the proposed local education councils. The responses to the paper from school attendance committees/officers and other interested groups are being considered by my Department.
Under the terms of the School Attendance Act, 1926, responsibility for enforcement of the Act rests with the Garda Síochána in any area not catered for by the establishment of school attendance committees.