David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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Question 753: To ask the Minister for Education and Science further to Parliamentary Question No. 349 of 27 May 2008, if his attention has been drawn to cases where his Department, through the home tuition scheme provided grants to parents to facilitate the provision of education at home for children who, for a number of reasons were unable to attend school and where the teachers who had been engaged by the parents had not been paid as agreed out of moneys provided by his Department under the scheme; the action he has taken or will take in such events; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23593/08]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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The Deputy will appreciate that I am not in a position to comment on individual cases in respect of home tuition payments. However, the home tuition scheme provides a grant to parents to facilitate the provision of education at home for children who, for a number of reasons such as chronic illness, are unable to attend school. The scheme was extended in recent years to facilitate tuition for children awaiting an educational placement and provide early education intervention for pre-school children with autism.

Parents engage tutors directly and the grant is paid to the parent on a monthly basis in arrears. In such instances the payment is made to the parent, who is then responsible for payment to their selected tutor. This affords a degree of flexibility and choice for parents in selecting the most suitable tutor for the purposes of home tuition for their children. However, where the teacher is a serving primary teacher and already being paid through the teachers' payroll, my Department, if so advised by the parent, may process the payment directly through the teachers' payroll system.