Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 3 Nov 1998

Vol. 495 No. 7

Written Answers. - School Attendance.

Róisín Shortall

Ceist:

680 Ms Shortall asked the Minister for Education and Science the plans, if any, he has to introduce a unified attendance system which would cover all areas of Ballymun, Dublin 11, and make the recording of improvements in attendance easier to measure in view of the new early school leavers initiative; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21287/98]

Proinsias De Rossa

Ceist:

706 Proinsias De Rossa asked the Minister for Education and Science his views on whether there is an urgent need to incorporate Ballymun, Dublin 11, as a single area for school attendance; if so, when this will be done. [21391/98]

Minister for Education and Science (Mr. Martin)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 680 and 706 together.

The issues raised by the Deputies serve to highlight the inadequacies of current arrangements in relation to school attendance. I can assure the Deputies that I fully share their concern at the fragmented nature of current approaches to this problem.

Under new legislation, which is currently being drafted, I will be bringing forward a comprehensive range of measures to address the problem of non-school attendance. Among my key objectives is the establishemnt of a single national authority with responsibility for school attendance on a country-wide basis. The legislation will also include specific measures for the early identification and support of children identified as being at risk of dropping out of the school system.