Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The Deputy's suggestion that the consultation process should be as wide as possible is helpful. That is something we need to do and that we will do.

As I mentioned in my initial response, a number of reviews of the school completion programme were undertaken, many of which would point to some of the issues the Deputy identified. Those reviews are with Tusla and my Department and they will need careful consideration. The funding implications are also critical and need to be examined based on the evidence and the recommendations of the reviews, the differences in percentages, as the Deputy identified, the transition from junior to senior level and the evidence that it is clearly a very good programme that needs to be supported, but that should be done in light of careful consideration of the reviews that have taken place.

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