Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour) | Oireachtas source

Our officials will meet with those of the Department of Social Protection in the near future. Educational Welfare Services, which was formerly known as NEWB, is the statutory body for school attendance and is under the remit of Tusla, which is in turn a body within the remit of the Department of Children and Youth Affairs. We are talking therefore about three Departments and perhaps need to engage with the Department of Children and Youth Affairs also. The failure of children to attend school is something the Government feels very strongly about across Departments. We must ensure that there is an effective mechanism to prevent children being deprived of their educational opportunities. My Department is willing to do everything possible in terms of data sharing to ensure that we have an effective system in that regard. I am willing to ensure that the matter is raised in discussions with officials from other Departments.

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