Seanad Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 25 Mar 2015

Vol. 238 No. 13

Commencement Matters

Community Care

Senator Colm Burke

I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Joe McHugh. The matter before the House this morning relates to the need for community intervention teams in each area. The reason I raise the issue on the Commencement debate is the need for the health service to reduce the number of people admitted to hospital, particularly from nursing homes. I understand Nursing Homes Ireland has had detailed discussions with the HSE on this matter. I also understand there has been a slowdown in the process of introducing community intervention teams. The idea is that more services would be delivered within nursing homes or to people living in their own homes rather than in hospitals.

A simple example of where we are falling down relates to the provision of dietitians. If someone in a nursing home needs to see a dietitian, he or she has to go into hospital, as HSE dietitians are not available to go to nursing homes. More intervention at local community level would mean that fewer people would have to go into hospital or attend outpatient clinics. That approach is especially important in cases in which a number of people are gathered, as in nursing homes, and that is the context in which I raise this matter.

Minister of State at the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht (Deputy Joe McHugh)

I thank Senator Burke for raising this issue. An overarching principle of our health service is to provide patients with the most appropriate care and service in the most appropriate location provided by the appropriate health care professionals. Patients should not have to attend hospital unnecessarily, with all the added stresses and possible complications that such attendances involve.

It is preferable that patients receive treatment in the community where this has been clinically approved. As part of the phased implementation of the principles outlined in the primary care strategy, a number of national priorities have been set for the development of community-based services. One of these priorities is the development of community intervention teams. The main focus of teams is to reduce hospital attendances and admissions and to facilitate early discharge from hospitals.

A community intervention team is a nurse-led health professional team. The team provides a rapid and integrated response to a patient who becomes acutely ill and needs enhanced services, or acute intervention for a defined short period of time. This may be provided in the community or the home, as deemed appropriate. Community intervention team staff liaise with hospital and community clinicians. They provide services in the person's home and in public and private nursing homes. The community intervention teams provide a safe, cost-effective health service to patients in their homes that would ordinarily require hospital attendance and, in most cases, hospital admission.

In 2014, more than 14,600 patients were treated by community intervention teams. At any one time, to date in 2015, approximately 220 patients are being managed at their place of residence. The service the programme provides to its patients includes but is not restricted to the following: intravenous cannulation and administration of intravenous antibiotics at home; acute anticoagulation care; acute wound care and dressings, including negative pressure dressing; enhanced nurse monitoring following fractures, falls or surgery; care of patients with central venous catheters; urinary-related care; care of patients with a respiratory illness, including nebuliser care, peak flow measurement and intermittent pulse oximetry; bowel care, including ostomy care; short-term older person support and care; and other medication management and administration as part of the patient's acute intervention package.

The community intervention team programme has met with representatives of Nursing Homes Ireland and is working with them in developing direct referral pathways for nursing home residents. There are currently nine teams in operation, in Dublin north, Dublin south, Galway, the mid-west, which includes Limerick, Tipperary and Clare, Carlow and Kilkenny, Cork city, Wicklow, Kildare and Louth. The Wicklow service was established in 2014 and the services in Kildare and Louth both commenced in January 2015. There is clear and strong evidence from various studies and bed utilisation reports demonstrating that a cohort of all hospital admissions can be treated in a non-acute setting, many through services provided by community intervention teams. The strategic priority is to realise national coverage and to make a community intervention team service available to every person in the country if needed.

An Leas-Chathaoirleach

An bhfuil an Seanadóir sásta leis an bhfreagra sin?

Senator Colm Burke

I thank the Minister of State for his detailed reply, which I welcome. Approximately 14,000 patients were treated by community intervention teams in 2014. That is a very small number in comparison with the number that could be treated. I know the area does not come within the responsibility of the Minister of State, but could he convey to the relevant Minister the need to expedite the implementation of the process? Given that attendance in accident and emergency departments in hospitals every year is more than 1.1 million, which is approximately 22,000 per week, and a high percentage of those who attend are elderly people who are referred from their own homes or from nursing homes, community intervention teams are essential.

An Leas-Chathaoirleach

I am sure the Minister of State, Deputy McHugh, will convey the message to the Minister for Health, Deputy Varadkar.

Services for People with Disabilities

Senator Thomas Byrne

This is a very serious issue. A gentleman has been effectively under the care of disability services in a place called Caridas House in Drumconrath, Navan, County Meath, since 2007. At times he has been illegally asked to pay rent to the HSE, although I understand that was stopped when the HSE decided it was illegal, as it was not allowed to be a landlord. However, there is doubt about the fact that the man in question is under the care of disability services. A number of weeks ago this gentleman, whom I have not named but whose details I have given to the Minister, was told that a health and safety issue had arisen in Caridas House, which was the case, but he was told that he would be allowed to go back there as soon as the matter had been rectified. That has not turned out to be the case. Since being unceremoniously evicted - I repeat the words of a HSE member of staff who acted as a whistleblower - the man has been put in temporary accommodation, and he has been told he will be put on the homeless register in Navan and put into temporary homeless accommodation.

The man is autistic and has severe difficulties living his daily life. I have sought legal advice for him on the issue. No private landlord would be allowed to get away with what has happened. No nursing home or residential care facility would do that to anyone, yet it has happened in County Meath that an autistic man under the care of the HSE has been thrown out. He is getting some help from various members of staff of the HSE, but there seems to be a determination to move him on. There was a suggestion that he would be given an alternative place to live, but I understand the offer has been withdrawn. I seek clarity in that regard because if that is the case I would like to see some action. What happened the man is unfair. I would like the Minister to investigate the issue. I understand the Minister of State, Deputy Kathleen Lynch, cannot be present. It was suggested that the discussion of this matter might be postponed until tomorrow, which I would have preferred, but her office suggested that the Minister of State, Deputy Joe McHugh, respond instead, and I accepted that approach. The man in question must be given his rights. He has been treated absolutely appallingly by the HSE. What happened was really disgusting.

He is a man who causes no harm to others, as I have discovered from talking to people in the village in which he lives. He spends a lot of time by himself due to his autism. He needs the accommodation, which was effectively sheltered accommodation for disabled persons. He was kicked out of it. I would like answers.

I sent a fax to the chief executive of the HSE, the relevant person in Meath, the Minister for Health and the Ombudsman last Friday. I have received no response from anybody and have decided to raise the matter here today. I would not have raised it had I received some kind of response, but I have not received an acknowledgement from anybody of this serious situation. I do not like raising the matter publicly, but I have received the man's permission to do so. I do not want to name him, but it is a very serious situation. I have not come across anything like it before.

Deputy Joe McHugh

I thank Senator Byrne for raising this issue today and I am pleased to outline the Health Service Executive's position on the person concerned. I understand the person has a diagnosis of Asperger's syndrome and suffers from associated anxiety. He was offered temporary use of a vacant HSE property, known as Caridas, in Drumconrath a number of years ago when he became homeless. Caridas was an unused former group home. It was in a state of disrepair. The former residents were moved to more modern accommodation.

The HSE has informed the Minister's Department that the individual has lived in the property independently without residential staff. He was, however, receiving a small amount of home support while at Caridas. He was informed by representatives of the HSE on 19 January this year that he would be required to move out of the property by 20 March. He remained in the property until that date. Renovation works were being undertaken in the house. The individual was informed and aware that he could stay only until these works were complete.

The HSE and Meath County Council have been working in the meantime to source alternative accommodation for him. Meath County Council was willing to offer him tenancy of an alternative council owned property in Drumconrath. However, he was not willing to complete the relevant application forms. Unfortunately, that property is no longer available. The Meath County Council settlement officer and a representative of the HSE Meath disability services have met the individual. They explained to him the necessity of completing the application forms in order that he would be eligible for rent allowance for alternative properties. The HSE has informed the Minister's Department that he has commenced this process.

A section of the roof of Caridas collapsed recently. Thankfully, the individual was not injured. The HSE carried out an inspection immediately. The property was deemed unsafe for habitation. The individual moved to local guest lodgings. The HSE has informed the Department that officials met him, in the company of his sister, on 13 March 2015. He was informed that he could not return to Caridas. The HSE paid for guest lodgings for him to provide the opportunity to source his own accommodation.

The HSE Meath disability services continue to provide health related supports to him to support him to live independently. He had availed of up to four hours of home support per week while living at Caridas. He has been offered additional home support hours to assist with his transition to new accommodation and attendance at hospital and dental appointments. While the HSE Meath disability services provide group homes for people with moderate and severe intellectual disabilities, this type of accommodation is not suitable for him. The HSE has assured the Minister's Department that it will continue to work with the individual and relevant housing authorities to provide the appropriate health supports to assist him to live independently.

Senator Thomas Byrne

I am very disappointed with the Minister of State's response. I plead with the Minister of State, Deputy Kathleen Lynch, to examine this case. In the reply the onus has been put on the applicant, and he has been told he did not fill out the forms. The man has Asperger's syndrome which creates serious difficulties. That is why he is under the care of the HSE disability services, which has been looking after him and providing a home for him since 2007. They now seem to be abdicating their responsibilities and making this into a housing issue. It is a care issue. It is an unusual situation, but he has been provided with a level of care that the HSE now seems determined to end. The reply states that he was offered an alternative property but this is no longer available. As I understand it, the offer of the property was withdrawn.

The man concerned is probably not entirely capable of making these decisions, and that is why he is being provided with disability services. He has not been dealing with Meath County Council on an ongoing basis, rather he has dealt with HSE officials. That is the difficulty. I want some answers because I am referring the file on his behalf today to a solicitor who specialises in this area. Passing the buck on the care of a disabled person with Asperger's syndrome cannot go on. The man was told when the roof was fixed that he would be able to return. He left on that basis, and was then told he would not be able to return. It appears to me that, having talked to him, he was tricked. He is in a state of extreme stress and anxiety over this issue, and many people who have no relationship whatsoever with him, but who are deeply concerned, have contacted me about him. I would like a serious message to go back to the Minister of State, Deputy Lynch. I hope she will read the Official Report, that my letters to the Minister, Ombudsman and the HSE will be responded to, and that something actually happens because it is outrageous.

An Leas-Chathaoirleach

Senator Byrne made a very compassionate case and I am sure the Minister of State will convey his deeply felt concerns to the line Minister.

Deputy Joe McHugh

I appreciate that the Senator did not want to raise this issue publicly. If he contacted the HSE or local authorities formally, a response is the least he should have received. If that did not happen, that is not acceptable. I suggest that he could sit down with local representatives from the HSE and the local authorities. It is a very sensitive case. I will convey the Senator's strong words to the Minister. I appreciate and share his observations on the support systems available for people who are unable to fill out forms on their own.

Road Improvement Schemes

Senator Trevor Ó Clochartaigh

Cuirim céad fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit. Táim ag ardú ceiste maidir le bóithre pobail sna ceantair Ghaeltachta. Bheadh eolas maith ag an Aire Stáit seo ar an gceist seo os rud é go bhfuil sé féin ina chónaí gar do cheantar Gaeltachta agus bíonn sé isteach agus amach ann an t-am ar fad. Bhí scéim ann a bhí á feidhmiú faoi scáth Údarás na Gaeltachta ina raibh sé ag fáil tacaíochta ó na scéimeanna sóisialta tuaithe nó na scéimeanna fostaíocht pobail le deisiúcháin agus obair fhorbartha a dhéanamh ar na bóithre pobail seo sna blianta a chaitheadh. Bhí an scéim seo teoranta do bhóithre nach bóithre contae iad, bóithre nach raibh faoi scáth na comhairle contae, agus dá bhrí sin nach raibh ag fáil aon chúnamh ón gcomhairle contae le haghaidh deisiúcháin. Cuireadh bóithre siúlóide, bóithre rothaíochta, bóithre cois chladaigh, bóithre go céanna beaga, bóithre go reiligí agus bóithre go portaigh sna ceantair Ghaeltachta san áireamh. Bhí an Ghaeilge mar cheann de na critéir mheasúnaithe a bhí leagtha síos faoin scéim sin agus bhí suas le €10,000 an ciliméadar mar uasmhéid le h-íoc leis an obair seo a dhéanamh. Bhí an obair seo fíorthábhachtach agus tá sé fíorthábhachtach.

Bhí an scéim imithe i léig le cupla bliain agus bhí an argóint ann go raibh gantannas airgid in san tír agus nach bhféadfaí rudaí den chineál seo a dhéanamh. Idir an dá linn, tá bóithre i mo cheantar féin imithe in olcas ar fad. Bhí cruinniú ann oíche Dé Domhnaigh seo caite maidir leis an mbóthar go portach Seanamhach i gConamara, agus tá a fhios agam go bhfuil bóithre eile ag dul síos go céanna agus mar sin de atá i ndrochchaoi. Is bóithre iad seo a bhfuil deis iontach iontu chomh maith céanna ó thaobh siúlóide de, ó thaobh turasóireachta de, ó thaobh aclaíochta agus mar sin de. Táimid tar éis borradh a fheiceáil faoi Shlí an Atlantaigh Fhiáin. Bhí muid ag caint faoi sin roimhe anseo. Tá na bóithre seo ag imeacht ó na bóithre atá liostáilte ar Shlí an Atlantaigh Fhiáin agus is áiteanna maithe iad dul ag siúl dá mbeadh daoine ag iarraidh stopadh ar an mbealach. Dá bhrí sin, tá sé fíorthábhachtach go ndéanfaí deisiúcháin ar na bóithre seo.

I láthair na huaire, deirtear liom go bhfuil cuid mhaith de na bóithre seo nach féidir taisteal orthu ar chor ar bith, go bhfuil siad i ndrochchaoi, go bhfuil gá le draenáil a dhéanamh le na taobhanna, le bancáil a dhéanamh ar na bóithre agus mar sin de agus le dromchla nua a chur ar ghiotaí maithe de na bóithre seo. Táimid ag cloisteáil ón Rialtas go bhfuil rudaí ag feabhsú, go bhfuil fás ag teacht ar an eacnamaíocht agus nach bhfuil cúrsaí airgid chomh dona agus a bhí siad. Ní buiséad ollmhór atá i gceist anseo. Is dócha go ndéanfadh cúpla céad míle euro an beart ó thaobh na mbóithre éagsúla a bheadh i gceist in san rud seo. Choinneodh siad na bóithre seo i gcaoi mhaith idir an dá linn go dtí go mbeidh níos mó airgid ar fáil chun iad a uasghrádú mar is ceart. Bhí an scéim seo faoi scáth Údarás na Gaeltachta roimhe seo. An bhfuil an tAire Stáit ag smaoineamh ar an scéim seo a mhaoiniú arís, go háirithe don samhradh seo le gur féidir an obair riachtanach seo a dhéanamh chomh luath agus is féidir?

Deputy Joe McHugh

Tá mé buíoch don Seanadóir as an ábhar seo a ardú inniu. Faoi na scéimeanna a bhíodh ag an Roinn go stairiúil, bhíodh deontais chaipitil ar fáil chun muiroibreacha sa Ghaeltacht a fhorbairt, chun bóithre sa Ghaeltacht a fheabhsú, agus chun áiseanna ar nós hallaí pobail, páirceanna imeartha agus áiseanna eile a chur ar fáil nó a fheabhsú. Trí fheabhsú an bhonneagair, bhí sé de chuspóir ag na deontais seo cur le saol sóisialta, cultúrtha agus eacnamaíoch na Gaeltachta chomh maith leis an Ghaeilge a neartú mar theanga pobail sa Ghaeltacht.

I 2004, leanadh leis an gclár oibre seo agus mar gheall ar na socruithe úra a bhí aontaithe ag mo Roinn ag an am leis an Roinn Airgeadais faoin gcreatlach infheistíochta caipitil, bhí mo Roinn ag an am in ann phlean oibre dhá bhliain a chur i bhfeidhm leis na húdaráis áitiúla chun bóithre, céanna agus bailte Gaeltachta a fhorbairt. Rinneadh é seo sa bhreis ar an infheistíocht a dhéanann na húdaráis áitiúla agus Ranna eile agus is cúnamh faoi leith a bhí ann d'fhorbairt an bhonneagair sa Ghaeltacht. Bhí scéim na mbóithre áise agus scéim na mbóithre portaigh ach go háirithe ag mo Roinn ag an am. Bhí na scéimeanna seo á bhfeidhmiú chun cuidiú le pobal na Gaeltachta feabhas a chur ar bhóithre áirithe a bhí mar áis rochtana dóibh. I gcás na mbóithre áise, bhí sé mar choinníoll den scéim go gcaithfeadh an bóthar a bheith ag freastal ar theach cónaithe amháin ar a laghad ina mbeadh buanchónaí ann agus ar ghabháltas amháin ar a laghad nach le húinéir an tí é agus a mbeadh rochtain chomh fada leis ag brath ar an mbóthar amháin.

Cé go bhfuil sé deacair tomhais a dhéanamh ar an tionchar a bhí ag na scéimeanna bóithre ar an nGaeilge, meastar den chuid is mó gur beag tionchar a bhí acu ar neartú na Gaeilge mar theanga pobail sa Ghaeltacht. Nuair a fhoilsíodh an Staidéar Teangeolaíoch ar Úsáid na Gaeilge sa Ghaeltacht i 2007, ba léir nach leor an cur chuige forbartha réigiúnda gur ghlac an Stát chuige féin chun dul i ngleic le ceist sochtheangeolaíoch sa Ghaeltacht a thuilleadh. Mar atá a fhios ag an Seanadóir, tá mo Roinn i gcomhar le hÚdarás na Gaeltachta ag forbairt an phróisis pleanála teanga sa Ghaeltacht faoi Acht na Gaeltachta, agus beidh deis ag pobal na Gaeltachta díriú isteach ar na riachtanais atá acu ó thaobh buanú agus láidriú na teanga ina gceantair féin. Tá súil agam go dtuigfidh an Seanadóir mar sin nach bhfuil sé i gceist ag mo Roinn maoiniú a chur ar fáil do scéimeanna bóithre sa Ghaeltacht i gcomhthéacs an tosaíocht atáthar ag tabhairt don phleanáil teanga sa Ghaeltacht.

Senator Trevor Ó Clochartaigh

Caithfidh mé a rá go bhfuil mé an-díomách leis an bhfreagra. Bhí mé ag súil go mb'fhéidir go mbeadh dóchas éigin ag an Aire Stáit dúinn. Cé go gcreidim go bhfuil tábhacht leis an bpleanáil teanga, tá tábhacht freisin le pobal beo beithíoch a choinneáil sna ceantair Ghaeltachta. Tá an cineál deontais a bhí faoi scéim na mbóithre pobal fíorthábhachtach le rochtain a thabhairt do dhaoine dul ar an bportach, dul ar shiúlóid, dul ag na céanna agus mar sin de sna ceantair Ghaeltachta. Níl uasghrádú agus mar sin de á dhéanamh air mar is ceart. Tá an turasóireacht chultúrtha sa Ghaeltacht bunaithe ar dhaoine a bheith in ann rochtana a bheith acu sna háiteanna seo. Is ar an mbunús sin a raibh cead ag an Roinn cheana a leithéid de scéim a chur ar bun. Iarraim ar an Aire Stáit dul ar ais, athmhachnamh a dhéanamh ar an gceist seo, go háirithe leis an bpráinne atá ann ó thaobh an chaoi atá ar na bóithre faoi láthair. Táimid ag cailleadh deis iontach turasóireachta, deis siúlóide agus deis a thabhairt do phobal na Gaeltachta le fanacht ag maireachtáil sna ceantair Ghaeltachta mar phobal beo beithíoch. Muna dtógann an tAire Stáit an deis seo, sílim gur dul amú an-mhór ar an Rialtas seo é.

Deputy Joe McHugh

Tá mé ar thaobh an Sheanadóra maidir leis an ghá atá ann an pobal a choinneáil beo. Beidh gá mór ann le haghaidh infheistíochta a mhealladh isteach sna ceantair Ghaeltachta. Mar a bhí an Seanadóir ag rá faoi na deiseanna a bhaineann le Slí an Atlantaigh Fhiáin, tá deiseanna móra ann agus beidh go leor tráchta ann freisin agus beidh brú mór ann ar na bóithre sna ceantair Ghaeltachta. Tá na ceantair Ghaeltachta ag croí Slí an Atlantaigh Fhiáin. Aontaím go bhfuil fadhbanna agus deiseanna ann agus beidh mé i dteagmháil leis an Aire, an Teachta Paschal Donohoe. Tá dualgas air faoi na bóithre a chosaint. Tá an ceart ag an Seanadóir freisin go bhfuil cúrsaí eacnamaíochta ag feabhsú. Tá fadhbanna ann, cinnte, ach tá rudaí ag feabhsú agus b'fhéidir go bhfuil acmhainní breise ann. B'fhéidir go mbeidh deiseanna ann anois airgead a chur isteach sna ceantair Ghaeltachta agus sna ceantair iargúlta. Chaithfinn an t-airgead dá mbeadh sé agam. Táim freagrach mar Aire Stáit as an Ghaeilge a chur chun cinn agus na limistéir agus líonraí pleanála teanga a chur i bhfeidhm. Táim freagrach as an teanga a choinneáil beo ach aontaím leis na rudaí atá ráite ag an Seanadóir inniu agus beidh mé i dteagmháil leis an Aire amach anseo. Bhí mé i dteagmháil leis an Aire Iompair, Turasóireachta agus Spóirt cheana. Bhí sé i dTír Chonaill cúpla seachtain ó shin agus d'ardaigh mé ceist na mbóithre i gceantair Ghaeltachta atá i gcroí Slí an Atlantaigh Fhiáin.

School Completion Programme

Senator David Cullinane

I thank the Minister for taking this Commencement motion himself. I tabled this motion after meeting a number of school completion programme, SCP, co-ordinators in Waterford city in recent weeks. They have been lobbying elected representatives from all parties and none on cuts to the SCP over recent years. This programme was established in 2002 to have a significant positive impact on retention levels in primary and secondary schools and the number of pupils who successfully complete the senior cycle or equivalent. All the studies show that the SCP programme has had very positive results, that more people are completing both the junior and leaving certificates and that more people are seeing through their time in primary school, which is positive.

There have been cuts to these programmes in recent years, however, which are having a direct impact on the services that the programme co-ordinators are in place to provide. At the moment, surveys of SPCs are taking place throughout the State which seek to ascertain the impact these budget cuts have had to date in the running of individual programmes. Some of the initial feedback I have seen reveals trends in the following areas: reductions to or cutting of specific supports and interventions, reductions to project workers hours, redundancies, instances of project workers and local co-ordinators finding themselves forced to take unpaid leave to maintain service provision within the allocated budget.

Also, programme co-ordinators note that preventative interventions have suffered as a result of cutbacks to funding while the demand for administrative procedures has increased exponentially since the SCP was reassigned to the Child and Family Agency support called Tusla. In recent years, SCPs have been requested to desist from offering counselling by the funding agency. However, crisis situations have arisen in schools, particularly threatened suicide, where SCP has been requested by schools to provide counselling urgently. There seems to be very real issues of concern. I am sure that many co-ordinators of SCPs from across the State have been in contact with the Minister's office to express their concern about budget cutbacks.

The reason I tabled this motion is twofold. First, I wanted to get information from the Minister about the levels of funding which have gone into SCP programmes in Waterford city and county over the past three years so that we can look at the trends and at where cuts have taken place. Second, I wanted to impress upon him the impact such cuts have had on the SCP programmes. If we want to maintain the very successful figures the SCPs have been part of achieving in retaining people in primary education, then we need to maintain the levels of funding. If we cut back on funding we may drift backwards in terms of the success of the projects and programmes.

I appeal to the Minister to listen to what the co-ordinators who work on the ground have said. I hope he is in a position to make a statement on his future intentions for this programme, and that of the Government, to fund these programmes into the future.

Minister for Children and Youth Affairs (Deputy James Reilly)

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 its target cohort. It is a targeted intervention aimed at those school communities, identified through the DEIS action plan for educational inclusion run by the Department of Education and Skills. It involves 124 locally managed projects and related initiatives operating across 470 primary and 224 post-primary schools to provide targeted supports to approximately 36,000 children and young people.

Since 1 January 2014, the Child and Family Agency has operational responsibility for the school completion programme, including the allocation of funds to local projects. In 2014, an allocation of €24.756 million has been provided for the school completion programme.

The programme is one of three service strands within the continuum of the education welfare service being implemented by Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, to support children, their families and schools. The other service strands are the home-school-community liaison scheme and the Educational Welfare Service.

Three school completion programme projects operate across Waterford city and county, namely, Waterford SCP which encompasses Ballybeg Community Education Project, Na Siúire SCP and Dungarvan SCP. Between the three projects, they were allocated €775,380 for the academic year 2011-12, €724,933 in 2012-13, €698,904 in 2013-14, and €635,000 in 2014-15.

The agency has approved local projects' school retention plans for the 2014-15 academic year. The amount provided for 2014-15 for the school completion programme takes account of the savings requirements in the comprehensive review of expenditure 2012-14. The first two instalments of the 2014-15 funding have issued to local projects, with a third instalment planned for May 2015.

The estimate for the Child and Family Agency for 2015 is €635 million which is a 4.3% increase on its 2014 allocation. My Department has recently issued a performance statement to the agency under section 45 of the Child and Family Agency Act 2013. This includes my priorities for consideration in the development of the agency's 2015 business plan.

The business plan will set out the agency's proposed activities, programmes and priorities for 2015, including provision for the school completion programme in light of the moneys available. I have advised the agency of my commitment to ensuring that there is no diminution in the school completion programme services.

A review of the school completion programme is under way. It is being carried out by the ESRI and will include a review of the governance and delivery structures of the programme. The review will assist in identifying the reforms necessary to consolidate the programme on a sustainable footing for the future.

The review will, among other things, examine the structures of the school completion programme, and how they can best support an integrated approach to address early school leaving. It will analyse the interventions provided and make recommendations for evidence-informed supports designed to secure the best educational outcomes for young people.

The review will capture the views of a range of stakeholders, including staff and all those involved in the organisation and administration of the school completion programme. It includes a survey to gather the views of project co-ordinators and chairpersons of the 124 local school completion programme projects throughout the country, case studies of projects involving staff and participating schools and interviews with national stakeholders who have a direct interest in the programme.

Preliminary information gathered on the programme indicates that the school completion programme encompasses a broad and diverse range of measures and interventions that have been developed by local projects over the years. The review will aim to capture learning from the most successful of these. Another aim is to ensure that available funds are targeted at those services that provide the greatest contribution to good educational outcomes for children and young people at risk of educational disadvantage. The review is expected to be completed shortly.

Senator David Cullinane

It is laudable for the Minister to advise the agency of his commitment to ensure there is no reduction in school completion programme services. The problem with his statement is that co-ordinators on the ground have said budget cuts have had an impact on services. The figures outlined by him clearly demonstrate that there has been a significant cutback in funding to these programmes in Waterford city and county. In the academic year of 2011-12 funding amounted to €775,380 but in the current year it is €635,475. That means there has been a cut in funding of over €130,000 which must have an impact on service provision. Only so much savings can be made in the overall overheads in terms of staff costs, rent, etc. When there is that level of cutbacks in funding it is the front-line services which suffer the most. That is the information that I have received from people who work on the ground.

I accept that there is a review under way. I hope the review goes well. Whatever about structural reforms that may be recommended, the Minister also needs to be conscious of the need to maintain levels of funding. He must ensure that, whatever structural changes the agency and he may put in place, the co-ordinators and programmes on the ground are in a financial position to provide the services that people need so that these projects continue to be successful into the future. I imagine that is what the Minister wants to see as well.

Deputy James Reilly

I am pleased that the Senator has acknowledged that these programmes work and have an impact. Of course they do not work in all cases and that is why I pointed out, in my main response to him, that we are continually reviewing to see whether we are getting the desired outcomes from our inputs. Where things are working well we want to see those replicated in other areas. Where things are not working then it is not sensible to continue with them. We need to put in place the policies, structures and services that result in the outcomes we want which is more children completing their secondary education. That is our aim because education is a great determinant of how well one does in life in terms of employment prospects and living standards.

Yes, owing to the fiscal crisis that we had to endure, which is one this Government inherited, there had to be some cuts made. I am happy to say that the cuts in regard to my Department have ceased and this year its budget has been increased. We have not closed any schools in the region. We have built more schools and added services in those schools. As the Senator will be aware, his party in the North of Ireland has closed over 100 schools in the past number of years.

Sitting suspended at 11.20 a.m. and resumed at noon.