Pat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael)
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To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if a person (details supplied) in County Clare will be facilitated with home tuition; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49116/12]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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As the Deputy may be aware, the Home Tuition scheme is intended to provide a compensatory educational service to children with a significant medical condition which is likely to cause major disruption to their attendance at school on an ongoing basis. Eligibility of children applying on medical grounds is determined with to reference to medical reports and their attendance details.

The allocation for the child in question this year reflects his improved attendance last year which has resulted in the reduced allocation. However his mother was advised that if the child's attendance levels deteriorate during this school year that the allocation can be reviewed in that context.

Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the safeguards in place to prevent a situation in which a person in receipt of the home tuition grant fails to pay the home tutor for services properly supplied under the scheme; and if he has any plans to revisit policy in the area. [49121/12]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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The Home Tuition scheme provides funding to parents to provide 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 a suitable educational placement. Parents engage tutors directly and the grant is paid to the parent either on a monthly basis in arrears or where possible in advance to assist parents cover the cost of engaging a 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. These tutors are self employed and provide tuition under a contract for service to the parent.

Where the Department receives information which alleges that the recipient of the Home Tuition grant aid did not use the grant for the purpose intended, a procedure is initiated to establish the factual position and where necessary to recover the full grant aid issued. This procedure involves a series of written contacts with the recipient. In exceptional cases, where the recipient fails or refuses to cooperate with the Department, the Chief State Solicitor's Office is requested to recover the grant aid.

I do not propose to change the existing procedures in respect of the recovery of grant aid.