Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 642: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if he has taken a decision to withdraw funding from preschool early intervention centres (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4862/09]

Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 643: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of preschool centres (details supplied) funded by his Department in the past ten years; the level of funding received by each centre; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4863/09]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 642 and 643 together.

The Deputy will be aware that 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. Home tuition grants are paid to the parents, who in turn make payment to the home tuition provider.

An arrangement to directly pay the service provider referred to by the Deputy has been agreed until the end of the current school year. This is the only service provider being paid directly in the context of the home tuition scheme. Up until this current school year, grants were paid to parents in respect of tuition providers who were non-serving primary teachers.