David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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Question 318: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the recent proposed changes to the home tuition scheme operated through her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33787/06]

David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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Question 319: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the changes she has made or intends to make regarding accepted qualifications of people providing home tuition hours through her Department's scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33788/06]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 318 and 319 together.

The home tuition scheme provides funding to parents to provide education at home for children who, for a variety of reasons such as chronic illness, are unable to attend school. The scheme was extended in recent years to facilitate tuition for pupils awaiting a suitable educational placement.

I wish to advise the Deputy that the scheme itself has not changed. However, on review of a number of applications for home tuition, details concerning the qualifications of some of the proposed tuition providers gave rise to concern. As home tuition takes place outside of the normal school framework, the Deputy will appreciate the need to ensure that tuition providers are appropriately qualified to give education to the children concerned. The usual requirement is a fully qualified teacher. However other qualifications are acceptable depending on the individual needs of the child. In this context a review of qualifications is under way in consultation with my Department's inspectorate.

Nominated tuition providers with qualifications other than teaching qualifications have been accepted for the first school term this year to allow time to establish the suitability of the range of qualifications submitted. As the process progresses the parents concerned will be informed of the decision which will result in approval for subsequent terms of the nominated tuition provider or direction to recruit a tuition provider with suitable qualifications. It is important to stress that the allocation of tuition hours under the scheme is not at issue in the context of the review of qualifications in this regard.