Vol. 502 No. 3
73 Mr. Noonan asked the Minister for Education and Science if he has reached agreement with the Department of Finance in respect of the staffing of an education welfare service in the context of the proposed Act; and the new staffing to be provided. [8186/99]
The drafting of a Bill to replace the School Attendance Acts is at an advanced stage in the Parliamentary Draftsman's office and I expect to be in a position to publish the Bill in the near future. In the normal course, the Minister for Finance and his Department have been consulted on the proposals in the Bill prior to the Government approval for drafting and will be consulted again before the Bill is published. It would be premature to discuss the precise details of the staffing of an education welfare board at this stage. Such discussions will take place closer to the enactment of the Bill, and after enactment when the precise legislative scheme as passed by the Oireachtas is known.
