Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 586: To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the level of funding that is available under the National Education Welfare Board for the school completion programme in 2012; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3610/12]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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The NEWB was established under the Education (Welfare) Act, 2000 as the statutory agency with responsibility to ensure that every child attends school regularly, or otherwise receives a certain minimum education. The Act provides a comprehensive framework to promote regular school attendance and tackle the problems of absenteeism and early school leaving. The remit of the Board was extended in 2009 to include the Home School Community Liaison Service and the School Completion Programme (SCP), as well as the Educational Welfare Service.

With regard to the funding available in 2012, I am pleased to inform the Deputy that €28,256,000 is being allocated to the School Completion Programme this year. This funding is provided directly by my Department to the 124 projects and associated initiatives supported within the programme. Although the 2012 Estimates process was the first for my new Department we have had to find savings as part of the national effort to address Ireland's deficit situation. With regard to the SCP the Comprehensive Expenditure Report identifies the requirement for savings of 6.5% per annum over the period 2012-2014. This equates to a saving of €2m in the Programme in 2012.

As a first step in considering how to achieve these savings I have requested my Department and the NEWB to complete a major review of the SCP by mid 2012. The review will be undertaken in conjunction with the Board's current work to develop an integrated national approach to educational support services. In this way the review will enhance the ongoing process of integrating the programme within a single national approach to attendance, participation and retention in schools. I appreciate that the achievement of savings will require difficult trade-offs to be made but it is anticipated that the review will identify operational efficiencies and other reforms which may assist to mitigate the impact of necessary savings.

As the SCP is a key school support strand of DEIS, I will continue to work closely with my colleague the Minister for Education and Skills and his Department to ensure that a coherent and consistent approach is taken to achieving our shared policy objectives within available resources.