Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Independent)
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868. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of children attending the six projects providing education services to children with autism in the years 2013, 2014 and to date in 2015; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20288/15]

Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Independent)
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869. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 552 of 12 May 2015, when the requested information, in tabular form, will be made available by her officials; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20289/15]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 868 and 869 together.

Group arrangements are put in place where parents/guardians of children who are eligible for home tuition seek alternative arrangements and my Department responds to, and facilitates the parents/guardians, by putting in place agreements with private pre-school providers which provide group tuition to children in a class type setting.

I wish to advise the Deputy that the number of children attending the six pre-school providers referred to during the school years 2012/2013, 2013/2014 and 2014/2015, in respect of whom payments were made by my Department, were in the region of 46, 176 and 198 respectively. It should be noted that in many cases children may have availed of these placements for short periods of time while placements in state funded schools were being finalized. It should also be noted that the providers may provide services to other children who are not supported under the Department's Home Tuition scheme and the Department would not have details of these children.

In relation to the response to question 552 of 12th May 2015. The response will be issued to the Deputy before the end of this week.