Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)

So, it is acceptable. I have another question. The Minister of State is defending the National Educational Welfare Board. He thinks it acceptable to give the House information which is three years out of date when each school in the country has given the current information to the NEWB. Does the Minister of State think that is acceptable?

The Minister of State has said 100,000 children miss 20 school days or more. Can he confirm that the NEWB only deals with cases of 60 days or more of non-attendance? Children who miss 20, 30, 40 or 50 days of school have no intervention whatsoever through their local educational welfare officer. Does the Minister of State think that is acceptable?

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