Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)

We need to change because a year-by-year account is necessary. If the Minister of State is speaking sincerely about transforming the public service, we must have the information on a real-time basis in light of the fact that schools have given it to the NEWB.

While there is a legal obligation on schools to report children who miss more than 20 days, the real acute cases of absenteeism are those of more than 40 days, as the Minister of State is aware. Will he assure the House that local educational welfare officers are making adequate interventions? Will he inform the House of the number of educational welfare officers and will he indicate if those posts are subject to the ban on recruitment witnessed elsewhere in the public sector?

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