Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 1 July 2026
168. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the total number of students who availed of home tuition hours; the total Departmental expenditure on home tuition; the number of teachers engaged in the service in each of the years 2022 to 2025, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50015/26]
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.
Home tuition is provided as an interim measure only for children for whom a placement in a recognised school is not currently available and should not be regarded as an optional alternative to a school placement. By its nature, home tuition is intended to be a short-term intervention.
The Department of Education operates four categories of home tuition:
Maternity-related absences
No School Place (NSP) Home Tuition Scheme
Children in Care (CIC) Home Tuition Scheme
Home tuition for children with special educational needs and on medical grounds
Home tuition can be required for a variety of reasons such as for children who are transitioning into a new school placement, for children who have recently moved location or are new into the country and are being supported to find a new placement or for children whose placement may be breaking down and they are being supported to seek a new placement. The Home Tuition Scheme is a short-term measure until a solution is put in place.
Number of Students Availing of Home Tuition
The number of students for whom home tuition was sanctioned in each school year is set out below:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
School Year |
Maternity |
No School Place |
Children in Care |
Mental Health |
Medical |
Autism Early Intervention (2.5 – 3yrs) |
3+ years |
Requiring / Transitioning to SEN placement |
Total |
|
2022/23 |
6 |
162 |
14 |
418 |
186 |
98 |
694 |
77 |
1,641 |
|
2023/24 |
4 |
185 |
19 |
398 |
178 |
65 |
683 |
137 |
1,669 |
|
2024/25 |
4 |
185 |
11 |
515 |
189 |
32 |
650 |
205 |
1,791 |
|
2025/26* |
4 |
205 |
12 |
623 |
204 |
28 |
637 |
200** |
1,913 |
*Data for 2025/26 is correct as of 30 June 2026.
**It is important to note that in relation to children seeking or transitioning to a special school or class place, the number that were sanctioned is not an indicator of the number of children currently without a school place. The vast majority of these children are availing of an educational setting with a private group provider, while in the main the remainder will have since received a school place or are transitioning to a school place.
Departmental Expenditure on Home Tuition
The total Departmental expenditure on home tuition for the years 2022 to 2025 is outlined below:
|
Financial Year |
2022 |
2023 |
2024 |
2025 |
|
Total Expenditure |
€17,081,902.96 |
€19,335,052.24 |
€21,461,289.75 |
€24,924,442.07 |
The number of teachers who took part in each of the years is not available.
