Almost 100,000 children miss more than one month of school every year, according to the National Education Welfare Board.
The problem of children not attending school is being discussed at a day-long conference in Dublin today.
The conference has been organised by the National Education Welfare Board, a statutory body set up six years ago to ensure all children attend school.
By law every school board of management in the country must devise an attendance strategy, in the same way they compile admission and bullying policies.
Today's conference is being held to discuss the issues involved and offer advice to schools on how best to devise these new strategies.
Minister for Education Mary Hanafin is due to address the conference this afternoon.
School absenteeism is a significant problem and it is estimated that well over 80,000 children miss more than one month of school every year. A smaller number of children miss a lot more time from the classroom.
To consider the problems, the National Educational Welfare Board conducted a survey in ten schools - five primary and five post primary. It found the often severe consequences of returning to school after an absence kept many children away.
Schools are being encouraged to develop re-engagement programmes for children returning to school.
However, the Board's Director of Welfare Nuala Doherty says the Irish figure of non-school attendance falls in line with international averages.
The findings suggest that a key problem with poor attendance is early drop-out and the National Educational Welfare Board is hoping that school strategies will help address that problem.
