Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

61. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she will reconsider the withdrawal of funding for the school completion programme's counselling grant scheme and instead significantly increase the scheme's budget to allow the scheme to be opened up nationally; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31174/17]

Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I have not ceased all funding for counselling services under the School Completion Programme. However, the available funding is very limited and is only benefitting a small proportion of schools. I am retaining the grant in its current form for the present, pending a decision on alternative approaches.

In 1994 the Department of Social Welfare opened a grant scheme to provide counselling supports to children who had experienced bereavement or loss. This grant scheme then passed to the Family Support Agency (FSA) when it was established in 2003 and subsequently to Tusla on establishment in January 2014.

Up until 2011 applications were invited through an annual public advertisement. The scheme was then closed for financial reasons and no new applications have been accepted since that time. Those who received funding in 2011 have continued to receive an annual grant equivalent to their 2011 grant. This Counselling Grants Scheme is for a total of €245,900 annually and currently there are only 64 grantees nationwide benefitting from it. With over 4,000 schools in Ireland 64 grantees means that less than 2% of schools are in receipt of support from this scheme currently.

I have decided that until an alternative methodology for provision of counselling can be established, the grant should stay in place in its current format. Any increase to Tusla Education Welfare Service will have to be considered in the context of the estimates process for Budget 2018.