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

It is really important that the school completion co-ordinators are totally involved in that consultation process. I know there have been some governance issues and I accept that. They also did have a proposal going back a few years at this stage in respect of being brought in under the education and training boards, ETBs, for their governance issues. I had concerns when it was taken out of the Department of Education and Skills because Tusla has a different approach and attitude to school completion from what the programme was actually designed for. As I said earlier, it is totally focused on the needs of the child but sometimes those in Tusla think it is an extra resource for them and for children who come to their attention. The idea of this service is that it can prevent people coming as far as the attention of Tusla. Is the new money that has been allocated specifically for school completion or is it falling under a general budget for educational welfare? It is important that any money that is going to them is specifically ring-fenced for them.

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