Vol. 555 No. 2
196 Mr. McGuinness asked the Minister for Education and Science if his Department will continue to pay travel and meal allowances to a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny who provided educational support for a person who is autistic. [18131/02]
The pupil referred to by the Deputy was in receipt of a home tuition service funded by my Department until the end of the last school year. Under the home tuition scheme grant funding is provided to the parents/guardian of the pupil concerned at an hourly rate which currently stands at €27.12. The number of home tuition hours funded is based on the professionally assessed needs of the individual child. Funding provided for home tuition is intended to meet the costs of the approved tuition hours. The scheme does not provide for the funding of travel and meal allowance costs.
