Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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463. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs when the report he has commissioned on the school completion programme will be published; if he has received the report; if so, when; his plans to act on the recommendations in the report; in the meantime, his further plans to continue to ring-fence the funding for this programme in the budget granted to Tusla - Child and Family Agency; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34399/15]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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Since 1st January 2014, the Child and Family Agency has operational responsibility for the School Completion Programme, including the allocation of funds to local projects. It involves 124 locally managed projects and provides targeted supports to approximately 36,000 children and young people.

The Economic and Social Research Institute's (ESRI) review of the School Completion Programme has been finalised. It is being examined by my Department and in Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, and it will be published this week.

The review will assist in identifying the reforms necessary to consolidate the programme on a sustainable footing for the future. It examines the School Completion Programme structures, and how they can best support an integrated approach to address early school leaving.

The findings of the review reflect that the School Completion Programme encompasses a broad range of measures and interventions that have been developed by local projects to address the needs of children over the years. The findings in the review cover the processes involved in identifying target children for support, the form and focus of the supports provided and the complexities involved in measuring the outcomes for children at risk of educational disadvantage.

The review makes findings and recommendations on these aspects of the programme and on strengthening the current governance and programme structures and on the resourcing of the programme.

Tusla has advised that it is initiating a number of actions to address the findings in the review. My Department will continue to support Tusla to develop the programme as a key strand in Tusla's integrated educational welfare response to children and their families, taking account of the Review's findings in this regard.

With regard to the future funding for the programme, this will be determined in the light of the resources that become available to the Agency in the annual estimates and budgetary processes. I have advised the Agency of my commitment to ensuring that there is no diminution in the school completion programme services. The School Completion Programme is an important service within the Agency’s educational welfare services. It is highly regarded as a key response in securing improved educational outcomes for children and young people at risk of early school leaving.