Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Independent)
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497. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the application (details supplied) to provide preschool services for children with autism in September 2015; if she will expedite a decision given the very short timeframe to report on the delay in making this decision; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27244/15]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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As the Deputy is aware, direct payment 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.

My Department has been in contact with the facility referred to by the Deputy in recent days. Given that the eligibility of children for home tuition has yet to be determined for the coming school year, it is not possible at this stage to finalise an arrangement with the facility. I expect that this process will be finalised in the coming weeks.