Jennifer Whitmore (Wicklow, Social Democrats)
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279. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the breakdown of funding provided to Tusla resulting from Budget 2021 being allocated towards the education support service; the amount in extra funding being allocated to the service based on Budget 2020 figures; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41036/20]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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The Tusla Education Support Service (TESS) has statutory responsibility under the Education (Welfare) Act 2000 for ensuring all children attend school regularly. Educational Welfare Officers (EWO's) work with families and children to overcome barriers to their school attendance, participation and retention.

My Department works with the TESS to ensure that necessary resources are available to support the programme and to ensure staffing levels are sufficient to deliver a high quality service for those young people most at risk of early school leaving. My officials are currently working with Tusla to finalise the 2021 allocation.

There has been an increase in the number of Educational Welfare Officers (EWOs) from approximately 50 EWOs in 2014 to 98 EWOs at present. The School Completion Programme (SCP) budget is currently €24.7m

As the Deputy will be aware, An Taoiseach announced, as part of his speech on the formation of Government on Saturday 27 June, that “Educational welfare functions will be returned to the Department [of Education].” and arrangements for the transfer of functions are now at an advanced stage.