Dessie Ellis (Dublin North West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Many of the children who are targeted by the school completion programme obtain huge benefits from that engagement. Great benefits also accrue to their families. This is evident from their school attendances, their attitudes to their teachers and their confidence to engage with other people and make friends. This leads to less disruption in their lives and the lives of others around them. Front-line services must be protected. The Ballymun Education Support Team, BEST, SCP board of management was recently notified that there might be further cuts to its programme in 2015 as the national SCP budget is no longer ring-fenced.

The Minister of State referred to a review of the SCP. A review often spells trouble. I hope that in this case the school completion programme will not be affected in any way. There are huge concerns among a range of schools across the country about proposed cuts. I am speaking on behalf of the management of schools in Ballymun who are seriously concerned that attempts will be made to cut funding for the school completion programme. This programme is aimed at the most disadvantaged of people. We cannot go down the road of affecting them. It is essential funding for this programme is maintained. Any review must take this into account.

The Minister of State said that responsibility for funding under the SCP is now the responsibility of Tusla. The previous mechanism for funding worked very well. I hope the serious concerns of all the schools in regard to attempts to manage this funding in a different way to their detriment will not be realised. I ask that the Minister of State bring to the attention of the Minister, Deputy Reilly, my concerns and those of my constituents and others across the country in this regard. Too much progress has been made to go backwards. That is the last thing we want to happen.

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