Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 31 March 2004
164 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for Education and Science if he will remove the restriction in force by his Department that makes it difficult, if not impossible, for educational welfare officers to travel to schools more than ten miles from their offices; the budget available to the National Education Welfare Board; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10279/04]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Education (Welfare) Act was fully commenced on 5 July 2002. Under the Act, the National Educational Welfare Board was established to ensure that every child attends school regularly or otherwise receives an education. To discharge its responsibilities, the board is developing a nation-wide service to provide welfare-focused services to children, families and schools. It has appointed a chief executive officer, directors of corporate and educational services together with a further eight head office staff. To date, 53 educational welfare staff have been appointed. In December 2003, the board advertised a competition to fill a further 15 vacancies which will bring the total staff complement to 84. The board will shortly be making eight educational welfare officer appointments from this competition.
At this stage of its development, the aim of the board is to provide a service to the most disadvantaged areas and most at-risk groups. Five regional teams have now been established with bases in Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Galway and Waterford and staff have been deployed since early December in areas of greatest disadvantage and in areas designated under the Government's RAPID programme.
Thirteen towns with significant school-going populations, 12 of which are designated under the Government's RAPID programme, also now have an educational welfare officer allocated to them. These towns are Dundalk, Drogheda, Navan, Athlone, Carlow, Kilkenny, Wexford, Bray, Clonmel, Tralee, Ennis, Sligo and Letterkenny. In addition, the board will follow up on urgent cases nationally where children are not currently receiving an education.
My Department has allocated €6.5 million to the National Educational Welfare Board for 2004 which represents an increase of 20% on the 2003 provision. Discussions are ongoing between officials of my Department and the board in relation to its planned activities for 2004 and no restrictions have been placed on the board by my Department in this regard.
