To ask the Minister for Education and Science further to Parliamentary Question No. 349 of 27 May 2008, if his attention has been drawn to cases where his Department, through the home tuition scheme provided grants to parents to facilitate the provision of education at home for children who, for a number of reasons were unable to attend school and where the teachers who had been engaged by the parents had not been paid as agreed out of moneys provided by his Department under the scheme; the action he has taken or will take in such events; and if he will make a statement on the matter.- David Stanton.
* For WRITTEN answer on Tuesday, 17th June, 2008.
Reference Number: 23593/08
Freagra
Minister for Education and Science (Batt O’Keeffe, T.D.)
The Deputy will appreciate that I am not in a position to comment on individual cases in respect of home tuition payments. However, the home tuition scheme provides a grant to parents to facilitate the provision of 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 an educational placement and provide early education intervention for pre-school children with autism.
Parents engage tutors directly and the grant is paid to the parent on a monthly basis in arrears. In such instances the payment is made to the parent, who is then responsible for payment to their selected tutor. This affords a degree of flexibility and choice for parents in selecting the most suitable tutor for the purposes of home tuition for their children.
However, where the teacher is a serving primary teacher and already being paid through the teachers’ payroll, my Department, if so advised by the parent, may process the payment directly through the teachers’ payroll system.
Uimhir:343, * For WRITTEN answer on Tuesday, 8th April, 2008.To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of home tuition grants paid in 2007; the number of children in 2007 who took part in the home tuition scheme; the cost of the home tuition scheme in 2007; the number of children currently taking part in the home tuition scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. – David Stanton.
Freagra
Minister for Education and Science (Mary Hanafin, T.D.)
The Deputy will be aware that the Home Tuition scheme provides funding to parents to provide 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.
910 pupils participated in the scheme in the 2006/2007 school year and to date in the current school year in excess of 700 pupils have been granted tuition under the scheme.
The cost of the scheme from January to December 2007 was €6,186,040.25.
