Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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492. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if the school completion programme funding in Donaghmede, Ayrfield, Kilbarrack and Edenmore areas, Dublin will be protected in 2015; if Túsla is seeking savings from this programme as it has been cut by 33% since 2008 which has had a huge effect on disadvantaged children; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49682/14]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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The School Completion Programme aims to retain young people in the formal education system to completion of senior cycle and to generally improve the school attendance, participation and retention of young people who are risk of educational disadvantage. The Programme is a targeted intervention aimed at school communities identified through the Department of Education and Skills’ DEIS Action Plan for Educational Inclusion. It provides targeted supports annually to approximately 36,000 children.

Since 1 January 2014, the Child and Family Agency has operational responsibility for the School Completion Programme, including the allocation of funds to local projects. In 2014, an allocation of €24.756 million has been provided for the School Completion Programme. The Agency has approved local projects' school retention plans for the 2014/2015 academic year. The first instalment of 2014/15 funding issued to local projects last September. Further payments totalling approximately €9.5m have issued over the past month, with a third instalment in May 2015.

There are two School Completion Programme projects for the areas mentioned by the Deputy. The Donaghmede Ayrfield and Edenmore project is comprised of six primary schools and two post-primary schools. I am advised that an amount of €214,184 was allocated by the Agency to this project for the school year 2014-2015, of which €174, 024 has been paid in two instalments by 31 December 2014, with a final payment of €40,160 due in May 2015. The Edenmore, Kilbarrack, Raheny SCP Project comprises of three Primary and one post-primary school. I am advised that an amount of €178,203 was allocated by the Agency to this project for the school year 2014-2015, of which €144,790 has been paid in two instalments by 31 December 2014, with a final payment of €33,413 due in May 2015. The amounts provided for 2014-2015 take account of the savings requirements in the Comprehensive Review of Expenditure 2012-2014. The allocation of the funding across the range of interventions planned for young people and between the local schools in the School Completion Programme project for the area is a matter for the Local Management Committee.

The estimate for the Child and Family Agency for 2015 is €631 million, a 4.3% increase on its 2014 allocation. My Department has recently issued a Performance Statement to the Agency under Section 45 of the Child and Family Agency Act, 2013. This includes my 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 the light of the monies available.

A review of the School Completion Programme has commenced. It is being carried out by the ESRI following a procurement process managed by the Agency. The programme has been in operation since 2002 and I believe that it is timely that a review be carried out. The Review is an important initiative to plan for the future development of this Programme. It is envisaged that the review will be completed during the 2014/2015 academic year.