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Education Schemes

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 9 October 2012

Tuesday, 9 October 2012

Ceisteanna (281)

Denis Naughten

Ceist:

281. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason his Department only sanctions two hours per week home tuition for a junior infant class pupil; the plans, if any, to review this policy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43464/12]

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Freagraí scríofa

The Deputy will be aware that the Home Tuition scheme provides funding to parents to provide for education at home for children who, for a number of reasons such as chronic illness, are unable to attend school. The scheme was extended in recent years to facilitate tuition for children awaiting a suitable educational placement including eligible pre-school children with an Autistic Spectrum Disorder.

Eligibility for children with a medical condition is assessed with reference to a completed medical report and attendance records supplied by the school in which the pupil is enrolled. The allocation of home tuition hours for children with a medical ailment is determined with reference to the age of the child and their level of attendance.

The Deputy has not supplied details of the child in question. However the allocation suggests that the junior infant child has a medical condition which is either preventing him/her from attending school at all or impacting on school attendance levels. Two hours supplementary tuition per week should be beneficial to the child if he/she is too ill to attend school and once he/she recovers it will assist him/her to catch up on the classwork undertaken during the absence. My Department is currently reviewing operational elements of the Home Tuition scheme.

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