Written answers

Tuesday, 19 January 2016

Department of Children and Youth Affairs

School Completion Programme

Photo of Barry CowenBarry Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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304. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the funding for the school completion programme for each of the years 2010 to 2015; the projected funding for 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2130/16]

Photo of James ReillyJames 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 37,000 children.

Since 1stJanuary 2014, Tusla, the Child and Family Agency has operational responsibility for the School Completion Programme, including the allocation of funds to local projects. In line with all major spending programmes in government departments, the School Completion Programme was the subject of a Comprehensive Review of Expenditure in 2011. The review required savings and efficiencies of the order of 6.5% per annum in the School Completion Programme over the period 2012 - 2014. The detailed information, requested by the Deputy, about the funding allocations for the programme in the years 2010 - 2015 is as follows:

YearFunding Allocations
2015€24.756m
2014€24.756m
2013€26.456m
2012€28.256m
2011€30.258m
2010€31m

Tusla has informed my Department that the projected budget for the School Completion Programme for 2016 is €24.756m.

I have advised Tusla 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 Tusla'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.

My Department, along with Tusla, is participating in the Inter-Departmental Group that the Minister for Education and Skills has established to consider the roles of different Government departments in delivering the DEIS programme in a joined up way.

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