Pádraig O'Sullivan (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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180. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills her plans to solve the issues facing the school completion programme Newbridge, County Kildare (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22239/23]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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On 1 January 2021, responsibility for education welfare functions, including the administration of the home school community liaison scheme and the school completion programme, SCP, transferred from the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to my Department. The SCP forms part of the Tusla education support service, TESS. While the arrangements between Tusla and the SCP are not impacted by the change in ministerial responsibility, Tusla now reports to my Department in respect of the SCP, which is funded by my Department via Tusla.

The SCP was introduced in 2002 and the programme is now a central element of DEIS, a key policy initiative of my Department to address educational disadvantage at school level. Since my Department took over responsibility for the school completion programme in January 2021, the initial focus has been on the development of the legislative platform to support the transfer of functions from DCEDIY. This body of work has now been completed and the next body of work will consider all other aspects of the programme, including governance and structures for SCP and all matters involved therein.

There are currently 122 school completion projects with local management committees (LMC). At present, management of the school completion programme initiatives, including the employment of staff, occurs at local level.

Officials from my Department have been advised that TESS is currently engaging with LMC of Newbridge SCP and Kildare Wicklow ETB (KWETB) in relation to operational matters concerning this project. TESS continue to be available to provide any further support and guidance required at SCP@tusla.ie.