James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The school completion programme aims to retain young people in the formal education system to the completion of senior cycle and generally improve the school attendance, participation and retention of young people at risk of educational disadvantage. The programme is a targeted intervention aimed at school communities identified through the Department of Education and Skills’ delivering equality of opportunity in schools, DEIS, action plan for educational inclusion. It provides targeted supports for 36,000 children.

Since 1 January 2014, the Child and Family Agency has had operational responsibility for the school completion programme, including the allocation of funds to local projects. In 2014 an allocation of €24.756 million has been provided for the school completion programme. The agency has approved local projects' school retention plans for the 2014-15 academic year. The first instalment of funding has issued to local projects and further instalments will issue in December 2014 and May 2015.

The Estimate for the agency for 2015 is €635 million, a 4.3% increase on its 2014 allocation. In December, the Department will issue a performance statement under section 45 of the Child and Family Agency Act 2013. This will include my priorities for consideration in the development of the 2015 plan. This business plan will set out the agency's proposed activities, programmes and priorities for 2015 in light of the moneys available.

A review of the school completion programme has commenced. It is being carried out by the ESRI following a procurement process managed by the agency. The programme has been in operation since 2002 and I believe it is timely that a review be carried out. The review is an important initiative to plan for the future development of the programme. It is envisaged that the review will be completed during the 2014-2015 academic year.

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