Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 668: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the progress made in relation to the programme for Government proposal to recruit extra staff to the Educational Welfare Board and the National Educational Psychological Service, both of which will prioritise disadvantaged schools. [28717/08]

Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 736: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the staffing provisions of the National Education Welfare Board; the number of cases dealt with by the NEWB to date in 2008; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28984/08]

Seán Haughey (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 668 and 736 together.

The Education (Welfare) Act, 2000 established the National Educational Welfare Board (NEWB) as the national body with responsibility for school attendance. The Act provides a comprehensive framework, promoting regular school attendance and tackling the problems of absenteeism and early school leaving. The general functions of the Board are to ensure that each child attends a recognised school or otherwise receives a certain minimum education.

Educational Welfare Officers (EWOs) are appointed and deployed throughout the country to discharge the Board's functions locally. EWOs employ a welfare oriented approach in the interests of the children and young people who do not attend school regularly, working collaboratively with schools and other agencies in meeting the needs of the children and the young people concerned.

Up to the end of May 2008, the total number of cases on hands with the Board for 2008 was 6624.

Approval in 2007 for 15 additional staff brought the authorised staffing complement of the Board to 109. 12 of these new posts were allocated to service delivery and 9 of these posts have been filled to date with a recruitment process ongoing to fill the remaining posts.

NEPS is a service funded by the Department of Education and Science. NEPS psychologists work with both primary and post-primary schools and they are concerned with learning, behaviour, social and emotional development. Each psychologist is assigned to a group of schools. NEPS psychologists specialise in working with the school community. They work in partnership with teachers, parents and children in identifying educational needs. They offer a range of services aimed at meeting these needs, for example, supporting individual students (through consultation and assessment), special projects and research. I can inform the Deputy that the number of educational psychologists employed by NEPS currently stands at 137.

Following a national recruitment competition organised by the Public Appointments Service, a panel of suitable candidates has been formed. Currently some 33 panellists have been offered specific appointments within the NEPS regional structure, some 30 have accepted the post offered and of these 13 have passed through the requisite Garda vetting process and are finalising arrangements with my Department's Personnel Section.

It should, however, be remembered that the service provided by the NEWB and NEPS are just two aspects 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 the provision of breakfast and homework clubs. In fact 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 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 roll-out of services under DEIS the Action Plan for tackling educational disadvantage.

Work is ongoing to develop appropriate protocols for all agencies and services to work together and to ensure that optimum use is made of the resources deployed. I would like to assure the Deputy that through increased investment and improved services this government is determined to optimise access, participation and educational outcomes at every level of the system. It will continue 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.