Mr. Martin McLoughlin:

On the percentage, the Senator is probably right to say it is 4%. The issue over the past few years certainly has not been a lack of funding. In each of those four years, working with the NCSE, we have provided 400 new special classes and 300 additional special school places. Each summer, the NCSE has concluded that this has met the need of the vast majority of children who require special classes and special school places. For the school year that is finishing, we calculate that approximately 2.7% of the entire primary and post-primary student population are in either a special class or a special school. That is made up of approximately 1% of the student population in special schools and 1.7% in special classes. For the coming school year, we will probably hit 3%. In the projections we are doing, it is really about maintaining the level of accelerated growth that has happened in the past few years, with the provision of the additional 400 special classes and 300 extra special school places. Within that, there have been, on average, four special schools established in each of the past few years. Our estimation is that we will need to continue that level of accelerated provision. Within two, three or four years, I expect we will be hitting the 4% the Senator referenced.

The other factor we are seeing is that the growth in special needs supports is mainly among younger children. There are more six-year-olds and seven-year-olds being diagnosed and assessed as needing a specialist placement than there are 17-year-olds and 18-year-olds. The need is at the lower end of the age spectrum. We are probably able to meet that need through the increase there has been in special class places at primary level over the past few years. We plan to continue that increased provision, working with the NCSE, over the next few years.