Joe McHugh (Donegal, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

We need to establish what is the demand. Parents will have the opportunity to register on Friday, so that will give us an indication of the demand. From an information point of view, provision is not just broken down into school-based and home tuition. There are other school settings and settings outside of school where parents can come together in a group of ten in a community-based setting, such as Spraoi agus Spórt family centre in Carndonagh, County Donegal, Juniper Tree Autism Services in Athlone, Autism Support Louth & Meath, Early Start Education preschool in Rhebogue, Limerick, and Bagenalstown Family Resource Centre in Carlow. There are opportunities for parents to come together there as well. They also have the opportunity of home-based tuition which was 70% of provision last year, so if 70% went for home tuition last year it is going to be heavily weighted in that direction this year. I am confident and ambitious and I know the Deputy is ambitious as well, though he is being sceptical today. He will be familiar with Lower Glanmire national school in New Inn, which did it last year. I hope that the likes of the 232 schools that did it last year will do it again this year, but obviously they have to be confident in doing that themselves.

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