Dessie Ellis (Dublin North West, Sinn Fein)
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As the Minister of State is aware, the school completion programme, SCP, is a support system for children and young people who are at risk of early school leaving. The programme seeks to increase school participation, attainment and retention among this group of students. It is quite clear that in areas of generational educational, economic and social disadvantage, a scheme that encourages young people to stay in school and which aids them in achieving their potential at all levels of education, is a vital support. Low educational attainment and educational disadvantage have been shown to have a highly detrimental effect on individuals affected, their families, their community and society at large, not to mention the economic problems caused when young people are failed by the education system. Educational disadvantage is closely linked to the prevalence of poverty and Members are aware this State has at least three quarters of a million people living in poverty, many of whom are children and there has been an increase of 10% in child poverty in recent years.

The vast preponderance of research on the issue indicates clearly that children from poorer socioeconomic backgrounds and communities are much more likely to underachieve in education when compared with those from middle and high-income backgrounds. Children in poverty deal on a daily basis with a range of personal, social and economic conditions that make educational attainment a much more difficult goal. The good news is that education is a key to solving many of these peripheral conditions that harm educational attainment in poor communities. It is a vicious cycle that can be broken only by providing resources to educational programmes that take a step towards those affected by poverty and educational disadvantage. The school completion programme is such a support. It supports school readiness, helps with the development of social and emotional competence and eases the transition from primary to post-primary education.

In the areas of Finglas and Ballymun, which I represent, educational disadvantage and poverty are major problems. Thankfully, we benefit from the wonderful efforts of schools involved in the SCP, such as Scoil na Maighdine Muire, Scoil an tSeachtar Laoch and St. Joseph's senior school, all of which are located in Ballymun. They have contacted me regarding their concerns for the future of the programmes. SCP in Ballymun gives vital support to approximately 300 children and young people each year. The schools involved give glowing accounts of the positive impact of the SCP. They state more can be done but not while less is being given. Since 2008, the school completion programme budget has been cut by 33%. Continuous reductions have hurt badly the programme's ability to do its work. Since Fine Gael and the Labour Party took office, the annual budget has been cut by €5.3 million, which is a cut of 18%. This is a cut to a service for some of the most vulnerable young people in the country. It is a line no Government should cross or consider crossing and this comes on top of other cuts to vital educational supports for disadvantaged children. This year's allocation remains well below funding for 2011, while the top rate of tax has been cut.

The Ballymun education support team, BEST, completion programme works with eight DEIS schools and provides targeted intervention through a range of programmes and activities, including school breakfast clubs, small work groups, one-to-ones, the incredible years programme to prevent and treat emotional and behavioural difficulties as well as a transition programme that supports children moving from primary to post-primary school. This helps and supports pupils and children most at risk to engage in school programmes and curricula.

Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael)
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I am taking this matter on behalf of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Deputy Reilly, who sends his apologies for not being here to debate this important issue.

The aim of the school completion programme is to retain young people in the formal education system to completion of senior cycle and generally to improve school attendance, participation and retention of its target cohort. It is a targeted intervention aimed at those school communities identified through the Department of Education and Skills DEIS action plan for educational inclusion. It involves 124 locally managed projects and related initiatives operating across 470 primary and 224 post-primary schools to provide targeted supports to approximately 36,000 children and young people.

Since 1 January 2014, Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, has operational responsibility for the school completion programme, including the allocation of funds to local projects. The programme is one of three service strands within the continuum of education welfare service being implemented by the agency to support children, their families and schools. The other service strands are the home-school community liaison scheme and the educational welfare service.

In 2014, an allocation of €24.756 million was provided for the school completion programme. The agency has approved local projects' school retention plans for the 2014-15 academic year. The amount provided in 2014-15 for the school completion programme takes account of the savings requirements in the Comprehensive Review of Expenditure 2012-14. The first instalment of 2014-15 funding issued to local school completion projects last September. Further payments, totalling approximately €9.5 million, will issue this month, with a third instalment being paid in May 2015. The estimate for the Child and Family Agency for 2015 is €635 million, which is a 4.3% increase on its 2014 allocation. The Department of Children and Youth Affairs will shortly issue a performance statement under section 45 of the Child and Family Agency Act 2013. This will include the Minister's priorities for consideration in the development of the agency's 2015 business plan. The business plan will set out the agency's proposed activities, programmes and priorities for 2015, including provision for the school completion programme, in light of the moneys available.

A review of the school completion programme has commenced. The programme has been in operation since 2002 and it is timely that a review of it be undertaken. The review is an important initiative in relation to planning for the future development of the school completion programme. It is anticipated that the review will assist in identifying the reforms necessary to consolidate the programme on a sustainable footing for the future and to ensure that it is in line with the aims of Better Outcomes, Brighter Futures- the national policy framework for children and young people 2014-2020.

The aim is to ensure that available funds are targeted to those services that provide the greatest contribution to good educational outcomes for children and young people at risk of educational disadvantage. The review will, among other things, examine the school completion programme structures and how they can best support an integrated approach to address early school leaving. It will analyse the interventions provided and make recommendations for evidence informed supports designed to secure the best educational outcomes for young people. The plan for the review includes arrangements to capture the views of a range of stakeholders, including staff and all those involved in the organisation and administration of the school completion programme. It includes a survey to gather the views of project co-ordinators and chairpersons of the 124 local school completion programme projects throughout the country, case studies of projects involving staff and participating schools and interviews with national stakeholders who have a direct interest in the programme.

Preliminary information gathered on the programme indicates that it encompasses a broad and diverse range of measures and interventions that have been developed by local projects over the years. It is hoped that following the review we will be in a better position to identify the most successful of these measures and interventions and to share that learning right across the school completion programme to the greater benefit of all the children participating. It is envisaged that the review will be completed during the 2014-15 academic year.

Dessie Ellis (Dublin North West, Sinn Fein)
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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.

Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael)
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I will bring the Deputy's concerns to the attention of the Minister, Deputy Reilly. I ask that he bring to the people concerned the message that this is not about imposing cuts. The review is an attempt to try to bring about best practice in this area given the variance between projects around the country. Some projects work extremely well and achieve great results. Like the Deputy, I am familiar with some of those projects, particularly the one in my constituency.

On cuts to funding, funding was cut across the board over the past number of years because the Government had €30 billion less to spend. The cuts were not imposed because the Government did not believe these schemes were working well. We recognise the great results they are achieving and want to continue them. I reiterate the review is a review to plan for the future of the scheme. The purpose of the review is not to identify areas where cuts can be made. It is important that the Deputy puts people's minds at ease in this regard. The purpose of the review is not to see if we can scrap the programme. While others might wish to pedal that message that is not the case. The purpose of the review is to see how the programme can be sustainable into the future, while ensuring we are getting the best value for our money. We must ensure the highest standards in all areas. That is the aim. Also, there are other areas with growing populations, such as my constituency in Navan, which do not yet avail of the programme and this will require more money to be spent in this area. Funding for the programme in 2015 has been increased, which should indicate the Government's intent in this area. It is important we ensure we get the best service possible. I will bring the Deputy's concerns to the attention of the Minister and ask that the Deputy also bring back the message to his constituents that the Government supports this programme.