Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 1267: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the person in her Department who is responsible for informing parents regarding the July provision scheme. [28595/06]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The July Education Programme is available to all special schools and mainstream primary schools with special classes catering for children with autism who choose to extend their education services through the month of July. My Department also provides for a July Programme for pupils with a severe/profound general learning disability. Where school based provision is not feasible, home based provision may be grant aided.

My Department encourages all eligible schools to participate in this initiative in the interest of the children in question. There has been a steady increase in the number of schools offering the programme since it was introduced in 2001 when relevant schools were circulated with details. I can confirm that my Department will be further publicising the availability of this initiative in the coming year.