Tom Hayes (Tipperary South, Fine Gael)
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Question 724: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if home tuition will be restored to a person (details supplied) in County Tipperary until Christmas as was indicated by her Department. [28761/05]

Mary 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. The Department also sanctions home tuition in cases where children are awaiting a suitable school placement.

The Department considers that school-based education provision is the most appropriate intervention for all children and has discontinued the practice whereby children who are in full-time education provision would also be able to avail of home tuition grants. The child referred to by the Deputy was in receipt of a home tuition grant while awaiting school placement. I can confirm that she is now enrolled in a special school since September 2005. Her needs are being catered for in a special class for pupils with autism with a maximum pupil teacher ratio of 6:1 together with special needs assistant support. As the pupil is now in full-time education, the matter of the continuance of home tuition no longer arises. The application for home tuition was therefore refused and the parents were notified accordingly on 16 September 2005. I can confirm that my Department has received correspondence from the parent of the pupil in question appealing my Department's decision and a response will issue as quickly as possible.