Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 2:

In page 12, line 14, after “the” to insert “educational welfare,”.

The Minister knows I believe it is very important that when the functions of the agency are specified regarding supporting and promoting the development, welfare and protection of children, educational welfare be explicitly stated in the functions of the agency within the legislation. It is an implicit function, as the Minister has presented in the first and subsequent drafts. However, it is a very important one. The views I expressed on Committee Stage were further supported yesterday by the contribution to the Joint Committee on Health and Children by Dr. Geoffrey Shannon who elaborated on his sixth report as rapporteur on children when he explicitly made the case on the inclusion of educational welfare. He referenced, in particular, the important role played by teachers as perhaps being the most important front-line engagement with children. He said teachers might be more relevant and more exposed to the make-up and needs of a child and what he or she had to face than others, including even those anchoring the home environment. It is very important that we do not confine ourselves to development, welfare and protection. Educational welfare is also critically important, as we know there is a significant link between child welfare and school attendance. This issue has been well aired and demonstrated historically and there is real importance attached to placing particular emphasis on educational welfare, so as not to depend on it being implicit but to make it an explicit part of the agency's functions. Therefore, I commend amendment No. 2 to amend section 8(1)(b) in order that it would read: "(b) support and promote the educational welfare, development, welfare and protection of children,".

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