Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 214: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills if the National Education Welfare Board has sought or obtained a school place in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21152/10]

Seán Haughey (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)
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The Education (Welfare) Act, 2000, established the National Educational Welfare Board (NEWB) with statutory responsibility to ensure that each child attends a recognised school or otherwise receives a certain minimum education. The Act provides a comprehensive framework promoting regular school attendance and tackling the problems of absenteeism and early school leaving. The remit of the Board was extended in 2009. The extended remit brings together the Visiting Teacher Service for Travellers (VTST), the Home School Community Liaison Service (HSCL) and the School Completion Programme (SCP) as well as the National Educational Welfare Service (EWS) under one common management team.

The NEWB's network of Educational Welfare Officers (EWOs) is one of the key means by which the Board ensures that each child attends and benefits from education. Key aspects of the role of an EWO is to advise parents in relation to the procedures for enrolment in schools and assist parents where they are experiencing difficulties in finding school places.

In response to the matter raised I can inform the deputy that the NEWB has advised my Department that the parent(s) of the child in question has not made contact with the NEWB to seek assistance with securing a school place for this child.

To be of assistance with this matter the NEWB has provided my officials with details of the relevant EWO who is available to assist the parents in securing a school place. Officials in my Department will arrange to have these details forwarded directly to the Deputy.