Joe McHugh (Donegal North East, Fine Gael)
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Question 498: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if she has plans to appoint another education welfare officer in County Donegal in view of the fact that the current and only EWO in the county has to cover the entire county of Donegal which is the third biggest county; the reason a county which has one of the highest rates of early school leavers is only entitled to one EWO; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30775/07]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The National Educational Welfare Board is developing a nationwide service on a continuing basis that is accessible to schools, parents/guardians and others concerned with the welfare of young people. For this purpose, Educational Welfare Officers (EWOs) have been deployed throughout the country to provide a welfare-focused service to support regular school attendance and discharge the Board's functions locally operating through 5 regional teams, with bases in Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Galway and Waterford. A service is provided from 26 locations nationwide. Staff are deployed in areas of greatest disadvantage and in areas designated under the Government's RAPID programme. In addition, the Board follows up on urgent cases nationally where children are not currently receiving an education.

Educational Welfare Officers play a pivotal role in implementing the service provided by the NEWB through monitoring school attendance and working to improve it. The EWOs also help parents who are experiencing a difficulty with getting a school place for their child. The NEWB has advised that the matter for additional resources for all areas is kept under continuous review. Areas are prioritised for additional service based on a combined analysis of demographic data, absence data reported from schools and other indicators of disadvantage.

An additional 15 staff have been allocated to the NEWB in 2007. These additional staff are being recruited at present. This brings the current authorised staffing of the Board to 109 posts of which 90 are allocated to working directly in the service delivery area. The staffing complement is comprised of 19 HQ and support staff, 5 regional managers, 13 Senior EWOs and 72 EWOs. It should, however, be noted that the Board is just 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. In this regard, extra supports targeted at young people in disadvantaged areas include both educational initiatives such as intensive literacy programmes and services such as breakfast clubs and homework clubs. In addition to the NEWB, there are currently in excess of 600 staff within the education sector with a role in school attendance. Home School Community Liaison Coordinators, in working with parents, promote school attendance and its importance for success in school.

School attendance is a central objective of the School Completion Programme with attendance tracking a core feature and one of its preventative strategies. Access to these services is being increased with the continued rollout of services under DEIS, the Action plan for tackling educational disadvantage. This government is determined to do all that is possible to ensure that every child gets all the opportunities and support they need to enable them to achieve their potential and participate fully in education. I am pleased to advise the Deputy that my Department's allocation to the Board for 2007 is €9.808 million for the National educational Welfare Board. This represents an increase of 20% on the 2006 allocation and of 50% on the 2004 level. This substantial increase in funding is a clear indication of this Government's commitment to prioritise investment in favour of those most at risk. Through increased investment and improved services we are determined to optimise access, participation and educational outcomes at every level of the system for disadvantaged groups.

In respect of the Deputy's specific question relating to Co. Donegal, I have been advised by the Board that the county currently has the services of one Educational Welfare Officer. I am also pleased to inform the deputy that it is the Board's intention to deploy another Welfare Officer in Co. Donegal when the additional 15 staff, referred to earlier, have been appointed.

I will be keeping the issue of the NEWB's staffing under review in light of the rollout of services, the scope for integrated working and any proposals that the Board may put to me in relation to clearly identified priority needs.