Thomas Pringle (Donegal, Independent)
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616. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the estimated full year cost of recruiting 40 extra full-time educational welfare officer posts; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10227/20]

Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent)
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The Tusla Education Support Service (TESS) has statutory responsibility under the Education (Welfare) Act 2000 for ensuring all children attend school regularly. Educational Welfare Officers (EWO's) work with families and children to overcome barriers to their school attendance, participation and retention.

TESS has advised the estimate cost of recruiting 40 extra full-time Educational Welfare Officers (EWO) for TESS would be in the region of €2,763,964.00. The overall cost may vary depending on what point of the Educational Welfare Officer salary scale each individual EWO starts on.

In recognition of the need for a strong policy platform for the services delivered by TESS, my Department established a Task Group to support the further development and integration of these services. The work of this group is near completion and a clear blueprint for the development of the three strands of the TESS, including the statutory Educational Welfare Service (EWS) is expected to be finalised shortly.