September 2003
Information Update

The National Educational Welfare Board

The Education (Welfare) Act, 2000 is fully commenced since 5 July 2002. Accordingly, the National Educational Welfare Board is established on a statutory footing. The Board is required to ensure that every child attends a recognised school or otherwise receives an appropriate education.

Development of a national educational welfare service

The new service will be developed on a phased basis commencing in the current school year. The Board will formulate a strategic development plan over coming months in which all aspects of the new development of new national service will be addressed.

In developing the new service, the Board will give priority to those services which must be in place from an early date. The Board will also give priority to the provision of a local service in those areas that already had a service under the previous legislation and to those areas with levels of high disadvantage.

The provision of a national educational welfare service involves the putting in place of appropriate management and service delivery structures throughout the country. Initial steps in this regard include the establishment and staffing of a national headquarters, the transfer of School Attendance Officers to the Board, the recruitment of educational welfare officers and the creation of an awareness of the legislation, the Board and its functions among the public. Progress has been made on a number of these matters.

Appointment of Chief Executive Officer

The Minister for Education & Science, Mr Noel Dempsey, T.D. has recently approved the appointment of Mr Eddie Ward as Interim Chief Executive Officer of the Board. Mr Ward was appointed following a competition among eligible officers of the Department of Education & Science.

Recruitment of other staff

The recruitment of other key management staff will commence shortly. A major recruitment drive to get a cohort of EWOs will take place later.

Transfer of School Attendance Officers

Persons previously employed, as school attendance officers are now employees of the Board in accordance with Section 40 of the Education (Welfare) Act, 2000. Under the Act, the staff concerned continue to enjoy the same terms and conditions of employment as they did previously and they bring with them the same levels of authority and responsibility to the new service. These staff continue to discharge a full range of functions in support of school attendance in their designated areas.

Headquarters

It has been decided that the Board's permanent head office will be located in the eastern/greater Dublin area. Because of the urgent need to provide a basic service to staff and the public, the Board decided to establish a head office in Dublin city centre for an interim period.

This office is located in the Premier Business Centre, 11 - 15 Tara Street, Dublin 2. Telephone number (01) 2409408.

Information

The Board is concerned that information concerning the Act and the Board is made available to schools, parents and others as soon as possible. The Board expects that some progress will be made in this matter over coming weeks.