David Cullinane (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

It is laudable for the Minister to advise the agency of his commitment to ensure there is no reduction in school completion programme services. The problem with his statement is that co-ordinators on the ground have said budget cuts have had an impact on services. The figures outlined by him clearly demonstrate that there has been a significant cutback in funding to these programmes in Waterford city and county. In the academic year of 2011-12 funding amounted to €775,380 but in the current year it is €635,475. That means there has been a cut in funding of over €130,000 which must have an impact on service provision. Only so much savings can be made in the overall overheads in terms of staff costs, rent, etc. When there is that level of cutbacks in funding it is the front-line services which suffer the most. That is the information that I have received from people who work on the ground.

I accept that there is a review under way. I hope the review goes well. Whatever about structural reforms that may be recommended, the Minister also needs to be conscious of the need to maintain levels of funding. He must ensure that, whatever structural changes the agency and he may put in place, the co-ordinators and programmes on the ground are in a financial position to provide the services that people need so that these projects continue to be successful into the future. I imagine that is what the Minister wants to see as well.