Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

We are talking about disadvantaged schools right across the country. It is not just a problem in urban areas but also in rural ones. I hoped that something positive would come out of the Minister's speech and he said there will be a review, which is grand. However, many boards of management involved in the school completion programme have told me that they cannot continue. No programme can sustain a 33% cut over a number of years. It sends the wrong message concerning the school completion programme. We are doing a similar thing in the drugs area but that is an argument for another day.

The whole idea of the programme is to give support to disadvantaged students. According to the attendance levels, it would appear that the programme is working. However, the level of incremental cuts over the past six years is now impacting on such services, so it has to stop. It may be a budgetary argument but the situation is not sustainable. Teachers and students in the relevant schools want the programme to continue working. I am appealing to the Minister to go forward instead of going back, but in order to progress the programme needs to be funded. I welcome any review in that regard. The school completion programme will stand up to any peer review.

Ultimately, we need to send to those communities a positive message that education is the way forward, that it is not set aside for a small elite in society and that there is a place for every child if he or she wants to proceed to further education. We genuinely believe in the concept of lifelong learning, but the children in question are only at the beginning and need the required supports. Will the Minister, in his new position, commit to championing the cause of those children who have been left behind and are disadvantaged through no fault of their own? Many come from a background in which we failed their families and parents. This is a challenge for the Minister and his new Department, but it is one he should take up.

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