Martin Mansergh (Tipperary South, Fianna Fail)

I am taking this Adjournment matter on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Education and Science, Deputy Batt O'Keeffe.

I thank the Deputies for raising this matter as it provides me with the opportunity to clarify the position in relation to the criteria for eligibility under the terms of the home tuition scheme. In particular, I wish to clarify that no changes have been made to the criteria for eligibility for home tuition.

As the Deputies will be aware, the home tuition scheme provides funding to parents to provide education at home for children who, for a number of reasons such as chronic illness, are unable to attend school. The scheme was extended in recent years to facilitate tuition for children awaiting a suitable educational placement and to provide early educational intervention for preschool children with autism.

Home tuition is available for children who cannot attend school or are absent for a significant proportion of the school year and where the degree of absence is such that without supplemental instruction the pupil is unlikely to be able to perform academically at the level appropriate to his-her level of ability. Eligibility in this regard is determined by reference to a completed medical report from a relevant professional and attendance records supplied by the school in which the pupil is enrolled.

Home tuition is also available for children with special educational needs awaiting an appropriate educational placement, as an interim measure and for children aged——

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