Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for his question. To be clear, we are working hand in hand with schools. The Deputy is aware that we have the power to compel schools to open special classes. In the first instance, however, we try to work hand in hand with schools.

We have significantly increased the resources that are going into the National Council for Special Education, NCSE. An additional €30 million has been provided to it this year to increase, for example, the number of special educational needs organisers, SENOs, who are on the ground so we can do a body of work that pre-empts the requirement within an area.

It is not a question of a school just putting up its hand and saying “We will do it.” There obviously has to be a need in the area and where there is a need, we work with the school. Where the school does not put up its hand, we engage very strongly with the school and we speak to the supports that we are willing to provide in terms of training, for example, the four days of training provided for the staff who are working on the programme, as well as supports for the whole school and supports that are provided for the principal.

In our engagement with the schools, we have listened with regard to where they believe there have been difficulties. Reference was made to the number of special classes we have and so on. We were coming from a low base and there have been almost 1,000 new places in the last three years. I acknowledge that many staff feel they were not sufficiently trained initially, all those years ago, before the arrival of these classes. It is important that we provide CPD and intensive training for those working in that area and we will continue to do that.