Written answers
Tuesday, 22 March 2011
Department of Education and Skills
School Completion Programme
9:00 pm
John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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Question 76: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if, in the context of the review of the children at risk fund and the school completion programme, he will ring-fence funding for a centre (details supplied) in County Kilkenny and have that programme examined as a stand alone project in view of the fact that the centre and what it offers under the CAR funding is recognised as being at the cutting edge of service provision in this area nationally; if his officials will visit the centre; if his Department's recent report commending the centre for its services and value for money will now be considered in support of the proposal to consider the "Three to University" project as a pilot project. [4859/11]
Ciarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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A decision was taken in Budget 2009 to discontinue the Children at Risk Fund. The Project to which the Deputy refers was among a number of projects evaluated by my Department to determine future funding arrangements and possible mainstreaming of appropriate projects. As a result of this evaluation, funding of â¬133,000 issued to the Project in December 2010 for the 2011 calendar year and a process commenced to integrate the Project with the Kilkenny City School Completion Programme Project as both projects share the same aims and objectives.
The "Three to University" Project covered by this Centre is a 4 Step Programme. Step 1 is an Early Learning Centre which deals with children under six years of age. Step 2 is a Homework Club for Primary School children while Step 3 is a Study Support Programme for Post Primary Children. Finally Step 4 deals with Men's and Women's Groups. Funding provided by my Department for the current year is in respect of Steps 2 and 3 of this Project.
I am pleased to inform you that a member of the National Coordination Team for the School Completion Programme has met with the Project in question and Kilkenny School Completion Programme regarding integration of both Projects. Agreed arrangements are now in place for the integration of the project with Kilkenny School Completion Programme from September 2011.
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