Colm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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183. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 370 of 20 September 2023, the reason that her Department refers to the fact that a maximum amount of home tuition hours for primary school pupils has been allocated to a pupil, as the student in question (details supplied) is a secondary school student; if further hours could be allocated on this basis and due to the fact that there will be only two ASD places available in secondary schools in the Ballincollig area in September 2024; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42040/23]

Josepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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I would like to thank the Deputy for the question. In accordance with the Home Tuition application form submitted, it had been confirmed that the child in this case was enrolled in the final year of primary school for the academic year 2023/2024. The application was also made on the grounds that the child had a significant medical condition, which has caused, and is likely to continue to cause, major disruption to their attendance at school.

Under the terms of Circular 0024/2023, for students enrolled in schools with a significant medical condition, grant aid based on a range of between 2 and 10 hours tuition may be approved with the allocation reflecting the level of attendance in the previous school year (i.e. the 2022/23 school year), and whether the attendance was at primary or post-primary level. A maximum of 5 hours are granted to children at primary level while students at post-primary level may be granted between 2 and 7 hours, and students sitting their leaving certificate examinations may be granted between 2 and 10 hours. As the child in question is enrolled in a primary school, the maximum of 5 hours was granted and the parents notified.

However, on foot of an appeal made by the parents which was received on the 19th September 2023, and taking into consideration that the child would have been due to start secondary school in the academic year 2023/2024 (had they not repeated a school year at primary level), I can confirm that the child will be granted 7 hours of home tuition per week. The parents of the child will be notified of this decision shortly.