Jen Cummins (Dublin South Central, Social Democrats)
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120. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills her plans to implement the employment and governance structures of the school completion programme. [14634/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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Reducing the level of school absenteeism is a key priority for me as Minister.

The School Completion Programme will be a key part of our response to a significant rise in school absenteeism in recent years.

The is an important programme to support children and young people who are at risk of early school leaving and is part of my department’s Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools (DEIS) programme.

Tusla Education Support Service (TESS) holds operational responsibility for the School Completion Programme, which is managed at a local level by Local Management Committees.

The Local Management Committee is responsible for the oversight of the project delivery at local level, including the use of project resources, employment of staff, and accountability for public funds.

A review of the School Completion Programme conducted by the ESRI in 2024 is overwhelmingly positive and has highlighted the continued improvements over the past decade.

Findings of the report also highlighted areas for further development, which is being actively considered by my department.

Work to develop a new employment framework for the School Completion Programme is underway. This work will lead to a more robust, and sustainable employment model that will support this programme, and its workforce, into the future.

The work will redefine the roles, responsibilities, and functions of all the key stakeholders. It will also identify and develop the organisational processes and procedures needed to support the redefined roles.

It is my intention that this work will strengthen the greater integration of the supports provided to address educational disadvantage and will support those children and young people most at risk of early school leaving.