Róisín Shortall
Ceist:206 Ms Shortall asked the Minister for Education and Science the number of education welfare officers employed by his Department; and the areas which they cover at present. [22170/02]
Written Answers. - Education Welfare Officers.
The National Educational Welfare Board is the body which will employ educational welfare officers. The board is an independent statutory body set up under the Education (Welfare) Act, 2000, and its functions, as set out in the Act, include the employment of educational welfare officers. The board is currently recruiting its head office staff, including senior management posts. The board, advised by its staff, will develop and submit to my Department proposals for the employment of educational welfare officers as soon as possible. The board also has available to it the services of the former school attendance officers, who, under the Act, transferred from the local authorities concerned to the employment of the board.