Pat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael)
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284. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding a home tuition grant in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Clare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27440/13]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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I wish to advise the Deputy that the child in question was in receipt of Home Tuition for the period December 2011 to July 2012. There is no record of any subsequent application for Home Tuition being submitted to my Department.

The Deputy will be aware that purpose of the Home Tuition Scheme is to provide a compensatory educational service 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 and also to provide early educational intervention for pre-school children with autism.

Home Tuition is provided as an interim provision only and should not be regarded as an optional alternative to a place in school. Where an educational placement has been identified and the parent chooses not to avail of it, Home Tuition will not be sanctioned.

The preferred approach is that children with autism are educated in school settings where children may have access to individualised education programmes, fully-qualified professional teachers, special needs assistants, the appropriate school curriculum with the option, where possible and appropriate, of full or partial integration and interaction with other pupils.

The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs) can assist parents to identify school placements which can then be resourced to support children with special educational needs. Parents may also contact their local SENO directly to discuss their child's special educational needs, using the contact details available on www.ncse.ie.