Home Tuition Scheme Provision

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 14 January 2015

Wednesday, 14 January 2015

Ceisteanna (768)

Thomas P. Broughan

Ceist:

768. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Questions Nos. 194 to 197, inclusive, of 16 October 2014, in view of the internal e-mail sent by one of her officials on 18 June 2007 stating that there are two similar collective models operating in a similar fashion, the reason for the apparent discrepancy between this document and her previous reply where she clarified that her Department is not aware of other groups of parents having come to the attention of her Department over five years ago in relation to group arrangements for home tuition. [49613/14]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Education and Skills

The response to the parliamentary questions to which the Deputy refers outlined the direct payment arrangements in place with private commercial organisations. The arrangements enable group tuition to be provided to children in a class type setting; payment in these cases is made directly to the service provider and is calculated on a group rate basis.

A key difference in the separate document referred to by the Deputy is that while other children were receiving tuition in private commercial organisations the funding was claimed and paid on a 1:1 basis directly to the parents of the children concerned and accordingly did not constitute group arrangements.