Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)

The home tuition grant is designed for children who are not in school. What is really important is that these children get the type of education they deserve and need in whatever school setting they are in, be that a special class, special school or a mainstream school. Where a child is in a mainstream school, I understand that he or she also has five hours of resource teaching, which is over and above what the other children in the class would receive, as well as access to special needs assistant support. Each case is being supported.

What parents want for their autistic children, in a general sense, is that they would receive an education appropriate to their needs. I accept — notwithstanding what has already been done — that there is still an enormous amount that needs to be done for autistic children throughout the country. However, I want to do that work in the context of a school setting, whatever that setting might be, that is most appropriate for the children. That does not include paying a home tuition grant as well as giving them school provision.

Where school provision is not available and a child is awaiting a placement, the home tuition grant will still be paid. The home tuition grant is available for children with autism from the age of two and a half, for early intervention. Real work can be done with those children before they enter a school setting. I know the home tuition grant has been valuable to these children but now they have been provided with a place in a special class, a special school or a mainstream school and it is generally accepted that these are the best places for the education of children.

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