School Completion Programme

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 28 July 2020

Tuesday, 28 July 2020

Ceisteanna (712, 729)

Kathleen Funchion

Ceist:

712. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the estimated cost of restoring the school completion programme to 2010 levels. [18230/20]

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

Ceist:

729. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the estimated cost to restore the school completion programme to 2010 levels. [18717/20]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Children and Youth Affairs

I propose to take Questions Nos. 712 and 729 together.

In January 2014 Tusla, the Child and Family Agency was established and as part of the remit of the Agency, it took on the functions of the former National Educational Welfare Board (NEWB): chiefly the Education and Welfare Services (EWS). The EWS comprises the statutory functions relating to Educational Welfare Officers; the operationalisation of the Home School Community Liaison Scheme; and the funding of the School Completion Programme (SCP).

The 122 SCP projects are funded in line with the academic term, commencing in September each year. Funding provision for the SCP in the 2020/2021 school year stands at €24.7 million. Tusla has advised that full-year cost of restoring the SCP to 2010 funding levels would be in the region of €7.3 million per annum.

As the Deputy will be aware, An Taoiseach announced, as part of his recent speech on the formation of Government on Saturday 27 June, that “Educational welfare functions will be returned to the Department [of Education].” Discussions are currently underway between the two Departments in that regard.

A referred reply was forwarded to the Deputy under Standing Order 51