Kathleen Funchion (Carlow-Kilkenny, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister's honest answer regarding the funding. I know she has consulted with the co-ordinators but it is very important to them that they are consulted. I have seen many good examples at first hand of people who have benefited greatly from school completion. If a student is in a school completion programme school he or she has access to counselling, play therapy at primary school level and homework clubs that help students with homework. The difference that makes to children cannot be measured. I want to stress to the Minister the need to ensure that the co-ordinators, and not just Tusla officials, are always kept in the consultation process because they are the people who have been dealing with the programme for years and they know their stuff, so to speak.