Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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167. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of students in primary and secondary level that are receiving home school tuition as opposed to school-based tuition in counties Dublin, Kildare, Meath, Louth, Laois, Wicklow, Westmeath, Wexford, Carlow and Kilkenny in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4039/20]

Joe McHugh (Donegal, 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.

Home tuition is not an alternative to a school placement and is provided in very limited and specific circumstances. By its nature, it is intended to be a short term intervention.

The scheme provides a compensatory educational service for children enrolled in schools, with significant medical conditions which has caused, and is likely to continue to cause, major disruption to their attendance at school. The scheme also provides for children with special educational needs seeking an educational placement in a recognised school and early intervention for children with autism aged from 2.5 years to 5 years who meet the schemes eligibility criteria.

All children must be enrolled in the primary school system, whether through placement in mainstream classes, in special classes or in special schools in the September prior to their sixth birthday.

The majority of children accessing Home Tuition for Early Intervention go on to enrol in school places.

In circumstances, where no placement available for a child with Special Educational Needs, the Department can provide Home Tuition grant funding towards the provision of 20 hours home tuition per week as an interim measure until the NCSE confirms that a placement is available.

The information requested by the Deputy is outlined in the following table.