Ulick Burke (Fine Gael)

The World Health Organisation report on the state of nation's children has generated many headlines over recent days in the media and much attention in the other House, but a serious comment on the education system in Ireland is hidden in the text. According to the report, 10% of children aged ten years and over exceed the 20-day limit for missed school days, at which point educational welfare officers are called in to investigate the absenteeism rate.

The Minister and the Government have failed again. They introduced legislation and set up a new board but failed to finance it. Educational welfare officers are only available in a few targeted areas and the rest of the country goes without. Several counties are not covered by educational welfare officers. In addition, the Government is withdrawing the home-school-community liaison scheme from schools in Woodford, Loughrea and Athenry in my constituency and in schools throughout the country because it has changed the criteria for eligibility. Schools are being penalised for their excellence. The World Health Organisation has identified the problem of absenteeism but no response has been provided by the Minister and the Government. That means something is seriously wrong.

I support Senator Minihan's call for another debate on education before the end of term so that we can highlight shortcomings and omissions on the Minister's watch, especially in regard to inclusion. Why are educational welfare and home school liaison officers, who have been very beneficial, being withdrawn from the system? I cannot understand that.