§ Mr. Peter Robinsonasked the Secretary of State for Ireland (1) how many handicapped pupils were receiving home tuition in 1980–81 in each area; why such tuition is necessary; and what assistance is given by the Department of Education;
(2) how many handicapped pupils from Northern Ireland were educated in 1980–81 in the Republic of Ireland; and what was the location of each school, the number attending each school and the total cost to each area board in the same period.
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§ Mr. John Patten1. The number of pupils receiving home tuition in 1980–81 in each education and library board area was as follows:
Number of pupils Belfast 27 North-Eastern 32 South-Eastern 45 Western 48 Southern 58 Where, because of exceptional circumstances, a child or young person is unable to attend a suitable school regularly home tuition can minimise the effects of absence from school.
The Department of Education makes the finance available to boards for the provision of home tuition. It has issued administrative guidelines to education and library boards. Individual cases must be approved by the Department where the tuition exceeds eight hours per week or is to be provided for more than six months.
2. The information is as follows:
School Pupils 1980–81 St. Joseph's School for deaf Boys, Cabra, Dublin 12 St. Mary's School for hearing-impaired children, Cabra, Dublin 14 St Joseph's School and Home for the Blind, Drumcondra, Dublin 2 St. Michael's School, Chapelisod, Co. Dublin 1 St. Mary's School for the visually impaired, Merrion Road, Dublin 1 St. Augustine's Residential Special School, Blackrook, Co. Dublin 1 St. Raphael's, Celbridge, Co. Kildare 2 Total 33 The tuition and boarding costs to each education and library board were as follows:
1980–81 £ Belfast 6,200 North-Eastern 5,800 South-Eastern 6,700 Western 20,600 Southern 22,600