Claims cutbacks hitting critical school supports

CUTBACKS in school completion programmes have hit critical services supporting thousands of children around the country, it has been claimed.

Services being scaled back include homework clubs, holiday support schemes, attendance tracking programmes as well as breakfast clubs.

An Oireachtas committee is to consider asking Education Minister Batt O’Keeffe to review the cutbacks affecting the struggling children. The Department of Education wrote to school completion programmes in August asking them to make 3% cuts in payroll and other possible savings.