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Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 7 Feb 1995

Vol. 448 No. 6

Written Answers. - Truancy in Schools.

Liz O'Donnell

Ceist:

28 Ms O'Donnell asked the Minister for Education the level of truancy in schools; and the terms of reference of the task force on truancy. [2599/95]

I do not have detailed and reliable information on the levels of truancy in schools.

On the last occasion on which comprehensive data on school attendance was collected, in 1983-84, the average daily attendance was fairly constant at 90 to 91 per cent. The House will be aware that the Minister for Education published the report of her Department's working group on truancy in April 1994. One of the issues highlighted in that report was the absence of adequate data in relation to this area and the working group made a number of recommendations in relation to this matter.

Since the publication of the truancy report, the Department of Education has received a range of submissions from interested parties on the measures which should now be taken to address this very difficult area. In keeping with its commitment to address the problems of truancy and early drop-out, the Government has given me special responsibility for this area. In a recent statement on this issue, I announced the establishment of a task force, the terms of reference of which are to: examine the submissions received from interested parties in response to the report on truancy, and consider and make recommendations as to future action required to address the problem of truancy at first and second level.
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