Tim O'Malley (Limerick East, Progressive Democrats)

I am pleased to be afforded the opportunity by the Deputy to clarify the position of the Department of Education and Science on home tuition grants for pupils with autism who are attending school. The home tuition scheme is primarily intended to provide compensatory instruction for pupils who have a medical ailment that is likely to cause major disruption to their attendance at school. In this context, the Department of Education and Science provides home tuition grants in respect of pupils who cannot attend school or who are absent for a significant proportion of the school year. Children who meet these criteria will continue to qualify for home tuition.

The cases the Deputy is talking about, however, concern children who are attending school full time. While the Department sanctions home tuition in cases where children are awaiting a suitable school placement, it is considered that school-based education provision is the most appropriate intervention for all children.

Recent years have seen a major expansion in school-based provision for children with autism. Some 159 special classes for children with autism attached to special schools and mainstream schools have been created and 15 pre-school classes for children with autism have been set up. The Department of Education and Science is funding 12 autism-specific facilities that are operating on a pilot basis.

The newly established National Council for Special Education, including its team of 71 special educational needs organisers, is working across the country to ensure that new services are put in place where needed so autistic children can have access to appropriate school-based provision. With this substantial improvement in school-based services for autistic children, it is no longer considered necessary to give home tuition grants to children who are in full-time educational provision.

There are approximately 100 children with autism in full-time educational placements and they have continued to receive home tuition grants. These children are enrolled in special school or special class placements or are attending mainstream schools with additional supports, as appropriate. The Department has written to these pupils' parents confirming its intention to discontinue the practice of sanctioning home tuition grants for pupils in full-time education. This has also been communicated to the pupils' schools. These cases have been referred to the local special educational needs organisers with a view to their ensuring that each child is getting the appropriate support at school. The Department sanctioned the continuance of the home tuition grant for these pupils until 10 February to allow the special educational needs organisers time to ensure that this is the case. Each pupil's individual circumstances are being considered by the special educational needs organisers and future provision will reflect their individual needs.

I thank Deputy O'Sullivan for raising this matter and giving me the opportunity to clarify the position.

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