Micheál Carrigy (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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590. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the current allocation of educational welfare officers in County Longford, noting that there is only one officer currently in situ; if and when an additional officer will be appointed to meet the demand in the area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29856/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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Tusla Education Support Service which includes the statutory Educational Welfare Service (EWS), is under the remit of my department since 2021.

The primary role of the EWS is to ensure that every child either attends school regularly or otherwise receives a certain minimum education; to ensure and secure every child’s entitlement to education. Educational Welfare Officers (EWO) are based throughout the country and work with children, young people and their families who are experiencing difficulty with school attendance. This is done through, home visits, educational welfare conferences and collaboratively working with different agencies. The main priority of the work is around the educational welfare of children and young people and to ensure that concerns around attendance are addressed before attendance becomes a crisis issue.

There are two whole time equivalent EWOs allocated to County Longford. One of these posts is currently vacant. I can advise the deputy that, following a successful national EWO recruitment campaign, TESS are currently in the process of filling this vacancy.