Ms Martina Mannion:

The Senator mentioned the issue of early education. She is correct to say the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth has responsibility for crèches but, as she will also be aware, the Department of Education supports early intervention classes for children with autism. Four of those in Donegal support children of that younger age group who have complex needs in the area. We are trying hard to ensure there is a greater spread of special classes among the counties. For example, there are 114 special classes in Donegal, including 17 new classes, comprising ten at primary and seven at post-primary, in this school year. We are trying to increase capacity throughout the system in order that people will not have to travel as far. As Mr. Loftus mentioned, it is our intention that there will be special classes in all post-primary schools. We intend to have up to four in the big schools. We are trying to ensure that in all post-primary schools in large towns, there will be enough special classes to meet that need.

We talked previously with the committee about our forward planning processes. We have identified the level of special education provision that we need in our special schools. The forward planning processes we have put in place in the past year have yielded classes. We are pleased there is sufficient capacity in the school system for the 2023-24 school year in terms of special classes and special school places. We have commenced work on the same issue for the 2024-25 year. We believe that when we have that large-scale special class provision, children will not have to travel the same distances they are doing now. We are working hard with the NCSE to ensure that where children are travelling long distances, we are opening new special class and special school capacity in those areas.