Written answers

Tuesday, 18 October 2005

Department of Education and Science

Special Educational Needs

9:00 pm

Photo of Catherine MurphyCatherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent)
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Question 718: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if she will reverse the decision to discontinue home tuition provision to a person (details supplied) in County Kildare as of 22 December 2005; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28744/05]

Photo of Mary HanafinMary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy may be aware, 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, my Department provides home tuition grants in respect of pupils who cannot attend school at all, or who are absent for a significant proportion of the school year. My Department also sanctions home tuition in cases where children are awaiting a suitable school placement.

I can confirm that the pupil in question is enrolled in a mainstream primary school with appropriate supports. The pupil had also been in receipt of a home tuition grant. My Department considers that the most appropriate intervention for all children is school-based and has discontinued the practice whereby children who are in full-time education would also be able to avail of home tuition grants.

A number of dedicated resources are now deployed to support children with special educational needs in the primary system. More than 5,000 teachers in our primary schools work directly with children with special needs, including those requiring learning support. This compares to less than 1,500 in 1998. One out of every five primary school teachers now works specifically with children with special needs. Approximately 6,000 special needs assistants work in the system, more than €30 million is spent on school transport for special needs pupils and more than €3 million has gone towards specialised equipment and materials.

My Department has written to this pupil's parents confirming its intention to discontinue the practice of sanctioning home tuition grants for pupils who are also in full-time education. This has also been communicated to the pupil's school. However, in the interim my Department has sanctioned the continuance of the home tuition grant for this pupil to the end of the current school term to allow further consideration to be given to the pupil's needs. In this regard, the school has been requested to make contact with the local special education needs organiser, SENO, to discuss how the needs of the pupil can be met by the school.

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