Tony McLoughlin (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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611. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the detail of the new threshold for Tusla staff with regard to beginning investigations into complaints made regarding school children by concerned parents or teachers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15113/17]

Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent)
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Tusla has advised that its Educational Welfare Service (EWS) has responsibility to ensure that every child attends school regularly, or otherwise receives a certain minimum education, to support regular school attendance, tackle problems of absenteeism and to provide an educational welfare service. The EWS receives referrals from school authorities, parents and others relating to concerns for the educational welfare of individual children. When a young person is referred to the EWS by a school, parent or another agency the initial work of the Education Welfare Officer (EWO) is to assess the nature, scope and depth of the problem.

The EWS has advised that it is unaware of any new threshold with regard to beginning investigations into complaints made regarding school children by concerned parents or teachers. The EWS acts on the basis of the Education (Welfare) Act 2000 and the provisions contained therein. If the Deputy wishes to provide me more detail in relation to his question I would be happy to provide any further relevant information that my Department and/or the EWS may hold.