Question to the Minister for Education and Skills (Ms. Jan O’Sullivan, TD)
To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if a child (details supplied) in County Cork with autism spectrum disorder can receive an increase of home tuition hours; and if she will make a statement on the matter. – Jerry Buttimer
For WRITTEN ANSWER on Tuesday, 31 March 2015.
REPLY
The Deputy will be aware that the purpose of the Home Tuition Scheme is to provide a compensatory educational service for children who, for a number of reasons such as chronic illness, are unable to attend school. The scheme also provides a compensatory educational service for children awaiting a suitable educational placement and for early intervention for children with autism.
I wish to advise the Deputy that an application for Home Tuition was received in this Department for the child referred to by the Deputy. Home Tuition could not be granted as the application does not meet the criteria for the allocation of support under my Department’s Home Tuition Circular 0048/2014, on the basis that the child has a school placement and having regard to the child’s attendance levels in school.