Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 1: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of school children who have missed more than 20 days of school in 2008; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19474/09]

Seán Haughey (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)
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The National Educational Welfare Board, NEWB, is the statutory body with responsibility for school attendance. A key function of the board is to compile statistics on attendance. Schools are required to submit reports on levels of attendance at the end of the school year. This data is analysed and the findings published by the board. The findings will help identify trends and measure the effectiveness of interventions.

The most recent statistics on national levels of school attendance are contained in the report entitled Analysis of School Attendance Data in Primary and Post-Primary Schools: 2003-4 to 2005-06, published by the NEWB in December 2008. The report shows that 11% of primary school students and 17% of post-primary students were absent for 20 days or more. This equates to 100,000 children approximately with absences of more than 20 days each year. Data for the 2006-07 and 2007-08 school years are currently being prepared by the NEWB for analysis.

Reasons for absence can vary and while many can be explained by factors such as illness, the data show that non-attendance is more prevalent among older children and children who come from more disadvantaged areas.

Educational welfare officers employed by the NEWB work with about 10,000 children each year with reported attendance or school placement difficulties. Research generally shows that the underlying causes of non-attendance are complex and are strong indicators of overall child welfare. Combating the issues underlying poor attendance requires concerted effort and better integration of existing support services.

The NEWB is one aspect of the comprehensive framework that this Government has put in place to improve school attendance and encourage more young people to finish school. While the primary responsibility is on parents to ensure that their children attend school, schools also encourage regular attendance by children. The other key support services are the school completion programme, SCP, and the home school community liaison, HSCL, programme. School attendance is a central objective of the school completion programme with attendance tracking being one of its main preventative strategies. HSCL co-ordinators work with parents to promote school attendance and its importance for success in school. These services are available to all schools participating in Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools, DEIS, the action plan for educational inclusion. In line with Government policy the board prioritises its resources to support schools participating in DEIS.

To support and advise families the NEWB has issued leaflets to parents, runs public awareness campaigns to raise the profile of school attendance and operates an education helpline to provide information on attendance and related matters. Guidelines for developing school codes of behaviour, which were issued to all schools last year, will assist schools to put in place strategies to deal with poor behaviour and other possible causes of poor attendance.

Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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Does the Minister of State think it acceptable that information which schools provide to the National Educational Welfare Board at the end of each school year cannot be provided to his Department? The latest information he has cited, suggesting that more than 100,000 children miss more than 20 school days per year, is three years out of date. My question referred to 2008. The Minister of State cannot provide information which is in the possession of the NEWB. Does the Minister of State think that is acceptable?

Seán Haughey (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)
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A vast amount of information is involved. The data for 2006-07 and 2007-08 school years are currently being prepared by the NEWB for analysis. The statistics show that figures for non-attendance are stable. Presumably that is why the Deputy wants the information.

Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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Is it acceptable or not?

Seán Haughey (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)
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The NEWB does a very good job. It is a relatively new statutory organisation.

Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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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?

Seán Haughey (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)
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This involves the processing of a vast amount of information. School attendance is, first and foremost, the responsibility of parents. The school also has a role to play. The educational welfare officers provide a service, particularly to schools participating in DEIS.

School attendance is a complex issue and the National Educational Welfare Board is dealing with it. In the first instance it is a matter for parents. There are schemes in place to encourage attendance, such as the schools completion programme and the home school community liaison programme. They all play a role in that regard.

Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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Does the Minister of State accept that this country has a chronic school attendance problem? On the basis of the information he has given the House, albeit three years out of date, one child in eight misses more than 20 school days per year, which is above the statutory amount set out in the Act. Is that acceptable? This year, we will have fewer educational welfare officers than last year directly involved in such cases.

Does the Minister of State believe it appropriate that a woman be given a prison sentence in connection with chronic non-attendance, as happened recently? Does he accept the criticism in the Barnados report, published this week, of the utter chaos in his Department and the relevant agency with regard to directly intervening?

Seán Haughey (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)
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The custodial sentence was handed down in a very complex case which was taken to court as a last resort. There were many other interventions prior to that. However, I cannot discuss the details of a specific case or argue with a judgment handed down by the courts.

The NEWB is concentrating on the DEIS areas and is dealing with school attendance. I do not accept that we have a chronic school attendance problem. A number of strategies are in place. It is my intention to reform the NEWB with a view to integrating services. That will be of great help in dealing with this situation.