As the Deputy is aware, where parents of children who are eligible for home tuition have sought alternative arrangements to be put in place for the tuition, my Department responded and facilitated by putting arrangements in place with private providers, nominated by the parents, who provide group tuition to children in a class-type setting. In all cases parents had the option of having the tuition provided by a single tutor in the home or availing of the services of their nominated provider.
Payment of the home tuition grant in these cases is made directly to the service provider and is calculated on a group rate basis. In recent times there has been stronger demand from parents/guardians of children for whom home tuition has been approved to be accommodated in this regard. From this year my Department has advised parents of the option to enter into a group arrangement with other parents of children for whom home tuition has been approved.
However parents wishing to enter into such an arrangement must notify my Department in advance for approval and providers selected by these parents must comply with the general provision of the scheme.
The Deputy's question refers to three unnamed facilities and it is unclear to which facilities this question refers. Accordingly it is not possible to respond in respect of these three facilities. However, in general, if a facility is selected by parents and this facility is unwilling to comply with the general terms of the scheme, and in particular, with the requirement that where a school placement is identified for the eligible child, the home tuition provision will cease, my Department will not approve the arrangement with the provider.