Tom Hayes (Tipperary South, Fine Gael)
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Question 214: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the position regarding the case of a person (details supplied) in County Tipperary who has appealed a decision by her Department not to allow home tuition for their child. [37371/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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Home tuition is primarily intended to provide compensatory instruction for pupils with a medical ailment that is likely to cause major disruption to their attendance at school on a continuing basis. In recent years home tuition has been extended as an interim support for children with a significant special educational need pending the provision of an appropriate school based educational service.

My Department considers that school-based education provision is the most appropriate intervention for all children, including those with special educational needs. In this regard, home tuition is only intended as an interim measure until a suitable school placement is secured. Grant approval is based on the application details of each case and a recommendation from the Department's professionals, if required.

In the circumstances, my Department 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 the pupil is now enrolled in a special school since September 2005. The pupil's special educational 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 parents were notified of this decision on 16 September 2005. The parents subsequently appealed this decision. My officials restated the Department's position in a letter to the parents on 24 October 2005.