Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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178. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to the fact that teachers remain unpaid for July provision carried out in 2019; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49689/19]

Joe McHugh (Donegal, Fine Gael)
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My Departments July Provision Scheme provides funding for an extended school year for students with a severe/profound general learning disability and/or students with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD).

The scheme was developed to reduce potential regression in learning associated with these specific categories of special education needs over the summer holidays.

The Terms and conditions of the July Provision Grant Scheme 2019 are set out in my Department's Information Note on the scheme which was published with the application forms and is available on my Department’s website at www.education.ie

There are two elements to the July Provision Scheme:

School Based July Provision– Schools that have special classes for autism and/or severe and profound learning disability can participate in the July Programme. The Department contacts all eligible schools each year to invite them to participate in the programme and extend their special classes into the month of July.

Home Based July Provision– where eligible students cannot be accommodated in a school based programme, funding may be provided towards the provision of 40 hours home based tuition.

In excess of 9,500 payments were made this year in respect of the July Provision Grant Scheme and I can confirm that all of those who provided tuition within the terms of the scheme have been paid. A small number of payments remain to be issued in cases where the Payment Claim forms were received recently.