Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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This Adjournment matter concerns a simple breakdown in the operation of the Department of Education and Skill's bureaucracy. It concerns a 16-year-old boy who is unable to attend school as he suffers from severe autism and has a profound learning disability. He is non-verbal and has an extremely impaired coping ability. He also has severe dietary problems and is acutely intolerant of all pharmaceutical medicines.

The boy has had a home tuition grant to date. He has been in the system and has been receiving support from the Department of Education and Skills under the criteria which he meets for children who cannot attend school. The parents - who are used to dealing with the bureaucracy involved because of their son's age - completed all the paperwork on 20 August this year. Yet, for some inexplicable reason, as we approach the Christmas break, his application is still under consideration.

I know this matter does not come under the aegis of the Minister, Deputy Gormley's, Department but he has an explanation from the Department of Education and Skills. This family has been driven to distraction trying to get clarification on this matter because they have had to hire a fully qualified teacher to work with the student on a one-to-one basis in his home. They have been denied access to the money, which is unbelievable. This is not a new case because the person concerned is in the system, so it beggars belief. It is out of sheer desperation and a cri de coeur from the mother in question that this has been brought to my attention. It seems tragic to me that I have to raise the matter in the House. I hope the Minister will have good news in his reply.

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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I am taking this Adjournment matter on behalf of the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Mary Coughlan. I would like to thank Deputy Quinn for raising this matter as it provides me with an opportunity to clarify the position concerning the criteria for eligibility under the terms of the home tuition scheme. Furthermore, I wish to clarify that a decision issued to the parent of the child in question regarding their application for home tuition on 1 December 2010.

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 as an interim measure whilst awaiting a suitable educational placement, and also to provide early educational intervention for preschool children with autism.

Through its network of local special educational needs organisers, SENOs, the National Council for Special Education, NCSE, is responsible for allocating resource teachers and special needs assistants to schools to support children with special educational needs. The NCSE operates within the Department's criteria in allocating such support. SENOs are a valuable resource in assisting parents with regard to their children's special educational needs and placement options.

Processing of home tuition applications made in respect of children awaiting placement involves liaising with the NCSE to establish on a case-by-case basis the position with regard to securing a placement for the children concerned. Parents are advised when applying for home tuition funding, that any funding sanctioned in this regard is on an interim basis only, pending the provision of an educational placement, and that regular reports may be requested on the updated position on securing school placement.

The child in question had previously been funded under the home tuition scheme while he was awaiting an educational placement. The NCSE advised that for the 2010 to 2011 school year a placement had been identified for the child. As such, the child in question was ineligible for home tuition funding. However, the Department of Education and Skills sought some clarification on the placement from the NCSE. This clarification led to a delay in processing the application and a letter did not issue advising the parent concerned that the child was ineligible for home tuition. On this basis, the Department decided that, as an exception, given the delay in processing the application, tuition would be sanctioned for a term and the Department advised the parent of this in a letter issued on 1 December.

The Department will shortly be in further contact with the parent to advise the outcome of the application. I hope that this clarifies the position for the Deputy and I thank him once again for raising this matter.

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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I thank the Minister for his reply. I note that the school of creative writing is alive and well in the Department of Education and Skills.