16 March 2003
NEWB Appoints First Staff

The National Educational Welfare Board (NEWB), the new national agency with responsibility for encouraging and supporting regular school attendance, has appointed Seamus Kelly as Director of Educational Services and Jill Leonard as Director of Corporate Services. These two senior permanent appointments are the first to be made by the new board.

Seamus Kelly was previously a District and Senior Inspector in the Department of Education and Science. Jill Leonard was Head of Administration with the Further Education and Training Awards Council (FETAC), the body with responsibility for making awards in accordance with national standards.

The primary function of the NEWB is to ensure that each child in the State attends a recognised school or otherwise receives an appropriate education. The Board also has responsibilities in relation to children educated outside of recognised schools and young people who leave school early to take up employment. Towards this, Seamus will work with schools to assist them in meeting their obligations under the Education (Welfare) Act, 2000. He will also work with parents/guardians and others concerned with the welfare of young people to develop appropriate policies and systems to ensure that the NEWB's service is both effective and fully accessible.

Jill will be responsible for the development of the NEWB's human resources department as well as the training, communications and IT functions. The NEWB's service will be developed on a phased basis. In 2003, the NEWB will recruit a significant number of new staff, including Educational Welfare Officers and Regional Managers who will be located throughout the country with a particular emphasis on the areas of greatest need.

Seamus also worked previously as a secondary school teacher and was a tutor/demonstrator at University College Dublin. In 2002, he received a first class honour in M.Ed in School Leadership from National University of Ireland, Maynooth.

Jill also worked with Enterprise Ireland as Senior HR Specialist, and with PEI Technologies Enterprise Ireland, which provides technology support for industry in Ireland. She received an MSc in Management - Organisational Behaviour from University of Dublin, Trinity College.

For more information contact: Edel Hackett, Tel: 087-2935207/098-50218.