Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 28 May 2026
316. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Education and Youth the position regarding a home tuition grant programme payment for a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40836/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy department's Home Tuition Grant Schemes provide funding towards the provision of a compensatory educational service for children who, for a number of specific reasons, are unable to attend school. By its nature, it is intended to be a short term intervention.
The Home Tuition Grant Schemes are governed by annual circulars which sets out the purpose, eligibility criteria and details of the scheme. For children and young people eligible under the Home Tuition Grant Schemes, a grant is approved towards the engagement of a tutor who will provide home tuition for the child/young person in question. Home tutors are engaged by the parents/legal guardian of the child who is to receive tuition, and the tutor has no contractual relationship with the Department of Education.
As outlined in the Home Tuition Grant Scheme - Payment Information for Parents/Legal Guardians and Tutors notice, home tuition payments for the 2025/26 school year are issued over twelve payment periods. Parents/legal guardians and tutors are required to take notice of the deadlines for each individual payment period. The Home Tuition Payment Information notice is published and can be accessed via the following link: https://assets.gov.ie/static/documents/09fe3ad4/Home_Tuition_Payment_Information_Notice_2025-26_v1.3.pdf
For tuition carried out during the period 13th April to the 1st May inclusive, payment claims must have been received in my department no later than the published deadline of the 6th May. In the case of the tutor referred to by the Deputy, the tutor's payment claim did not arrive until the 8th of May, which was after the published deadline of the 6th of May. Officials from my department have confirmed that, subject to the payment claim being in order, it is likely that payment in respect of this tutor will be paid on the 18th of June.
