Sheila Terry (Fine Gael)

I also support my colleague, Senator Brian Hayes, in requesting the Leader to ask the Minister for Education and Science to explain to the House how he intends to resolve the dispute between the school attendance officers and his Department. This issue is having an effect on our streets. I listened to a report on the radio this morning on children as young as 12 years who refuse to go to school and for whom no one is taking responsibility. The Leader should also ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform to intervene in the matter. The children concerned are falling through the education net and will fall into crime. Dealing with them at a later date will cost the State considerable amounts of money whereas if money were spent on intervening at an early stage, serious problems would not be created.