Social Democrats TD Jen Cummins has called for earlier intervention and speedier referrals to the Education Welfare Service (EWS) to reduce long-term absenteeism rates in schools.
Deputy Cummins, who is the party’s education spokesperson, was responding to new research from the ESRI which found that children attending special and DEIS schools in the most socio-economically disadvantaged areas recorded much higher rates of absenteeism.
She said:
“This report shows that absenteeism rates have continued to rise since the pandemic and are showing little signs of improvement.
“However, tackling this issue is greatly impeded by the current system. Waiting until a child has missed 30 days of school before any meaningful action is taken just allows patterns of chronic non-attendance to become firmly established.
“And while schools may be doing what they can to address non-attendance, the situation escalates because referrals are being made too late to the Education Welfare Officer (EWO).
“By the time a referral is made to the EWS, the problem is often already deeply rooted. We should be intervening earlier, with preventative measures that support families before attendance breaks down.
“Having spent 18 years working with the Ballymun Anseo School Completion Programme, I am acutely aware of the importance of sending early reminders to parents when children are absent from school for 10, 15, 18 and 20 days. There must be daily check-ins with parents, when needed, and consistent communication between schools and families.
“School Completion Programme project workers need to be supported to be in schools as for as many days as possible each week and not shared between schools. This and the reinstatement of attendance monitors and promoters through DEIS funding needs to happen so they can identify any worrying patterns as early as possible.
“This approach works because it addresses problems early and keeps parents informed. Small absences and regular lateness can quickly build up, resulting in children falling behind in class.
“Without proper intervention, poor attendance patterns often carry from primary into secondary school, putting students at risk of disengagement from education before they reach the age of 16.
“There is an urgent need for a nationwide attendance strategy, including parental education on the impact of missed school time and properly resourced early intervention supports.
“This is an issue that requires action. If we want children to stay connected to education, we must act earlier and support families better.”
January 26, 2026