Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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395. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if an application for a replacement tutor for a case (details supplied) will be considered; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14898/23]

Josepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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My Departments Home Tuition Grant Schemes provide funding towards the provision of a compensatory educational service for children who, for a number of specific reasons, are unable to attend school. By its nature, it is intended to be a short term intervention.

The Home Tuition Grant Schemes are governed by annual circulars which sets out the purpose, eligibility criteria and details of the scheme. Circular 0046/2022 provides information in relation to the 2022/2023 Home Tuition Grant Scheme and can be accessed by clicking on the following link: www.gov.ie/en/circular/22b2a-home-tuition-grant-scheme-20222023-special-education-component/

The purpose of the Home Tuition Grant Scheme is to provide funding towards the provision of a compensatory educational service for:

(a) Early educational intervention for children with autism who meet the scheme’s eligibility criteria

(b) Students with special educational needs seeking an educational placement in a recognised school

(c) Students, enrolled in schools, with a significant medical condition, or school phobia and/or associated depression/anxiety, which has caused, and is likely to continue to cause, major disruption to their attendance at school.

If a nominated tutor is not available to carry out Home Tuition, it is the responsibility of the parent/legal guardian to source another tutor, should they so wish. Parents/legal guardians can change tutors or apply for an additional tutor using the Change of Tutor forms which are available through the following link: www.gov.ie/pdf/?file=https://assets.gov.ie/38349/420f547680264b43ac007b5d9786aa13.pdf#page=1.

While this Department does not keep lists of tutors available to carry out home tuition, it may be helpful to contact local schools in the first instance, or alternatively, the Department is aware that many parents use education provider websites to advertise for tutors or indeed place advertisements in local newspapers or on shop/community notice boards. Additionally, to help parents source a home tutor for this scheme in their local area, the IPPN has created a Home Tuition Noticeboard for Parents to help them source a suitable candidates. This noticeboard is available on www.educationposts.ie.