Michael McCarthy
Question:100. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if funding for school completion programmes will be ring-fenced for 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5072/15]
View answerWednesday, 4 February 2015
Questions (100, 101, 102)
Michael McCarthy
Question:101. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the total funding allocation for 2015 for school completion programmes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5073/15]
View answerMichael McCarthy
Question:102. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if the same level of funding or a greater level of funding will be provided for school completion programmes in 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5074/15]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 100 to 102, inclusive, together.
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 young people who are risk of educational disadvantage. The Programme is a targeted intervention aimed at school communities identified through the Department of Education and Skills’ DEIS Action Plan for Educational Inclusion. It provides targeted supports annually to approximately 36,000 children.
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 Agency has approved local projects' school retention plans for the 2014/2015 academic year. The first instalment of 2014/15 funding issued to local projects last September. Further payments totalling approximately €9.5m have issued over the past month, with a third instalment planned for payment in May 2015.
The estimate for the Child and Family Agency for 2015 is €631 million, 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 the light of the monies available.
A review of the School Completion Programme has commenced. It is being carried out by the ESRI following a procurement process managed by the Agency. The programme has been in operation since 2002 and I believe that it is timely that a review be carried out. The Review is an important initiative to plan for the future development of this Programme. It is envisaged that the review will be completed during the 2014/2015 academic year.