Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Social Democrats)
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358. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 379 of 26 July 2017, the reason his Department is not in a position to enter into direct contracts of employment with home tutors so as to ensure greater protection and security for these persons and those using their services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37827/17]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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The purpose of the Home Tuition Grant Scheme is to provide funding towards the provision of a compensatory educational service for children who, for a number of specific reasons, are unable to attend school.

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

The Home Tuition Grant is provided as an interim measure only for children who cannot access a placement in a recognised school and should not be regarded as an alternative to a school placement. When the child in question can access a school placement the Home Tuition Grant will be discontinued.

My Department does not recruit or employ teachers, it is the Board of Management of schools or Education and Training Board, as appropriate, which is responsible for employment of teachers in schools.

Similarly, my Department does not recruit or employ individuals to provide home tuition. Parents/Guardians select and engage tutors for the provision of Home Tuition in a private arrangement which is then funded through the scheme.

It is a condition of funding for the various home tuition schemes, that all tutors engaged by Parents/Guardians must be registered with the Teaching Council and have been vetted by the Teaching Council via the Teaching Council’s online vetting process. Tutors must also provide a completed child protection related Statutory Declaration and Form of Undertaking.

Parents/guardians are also advised that in addition to vetting, parents may request references and/or employment history in order to satisfy themselves regarding the suitability of the person to carry out tuition with their child.