Cases of school absenteeism are investigated by the National Educational Welfare Board (NEWB), which was set up under the Educational Welfare Act 2000. However, since children aged under six are not legally required to attend school, the board cannot take enforcement proceedings against them in cases of excessive absenteeism.  

"Teachers, principals and board officers are powerless to intervene in a case of chronic absenteeism from school of a child under six," says Dublin inner city school principal Aodhán Ó Ríordáin, who is also a Labour councillor.
 
“At that most important developmental stage in a child’s education, the infant years, the board has no statutory grounds to intervene in a case of serious absenteeism, which many educators point to as a key indication of child neglect.”

“This in my view is tantamount to departmental neglect of children,” Mr Ó Ríordáin says.
 
He has called for the legislation to be amended to ensure that once a child is enrolled in school, the board can use its powers, regardless of age.

“Such a change would ensure that those in the school community and those charged with the responsibility of monitoring school attendance can make the maximum difference at the earliest opportunity,” he said.

A spokeswoman for the NEWB said, however, that while the board cannot take enforcement proceedings to ensure that under-sixes attend school, educational welfare officers can and do work with families of children regardless of age to provide support and advice and bring about change.

“Guidelines prepared by the board for schools on the development of codes of behaviour and attendance strategies are not age-specific – such policies apply to all students regardless of age,” she said. (Source: Irish Times)