Josepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Several sections of the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act 2004 have been commenced. The commenced provisions include those establishing the National Council for Special Education, NCSE, and those providing for an inclusive approach to the education of children with special educational needs. As the Deputy stated, the remaining sections of the Act have not yet been commenced. However, the Government has continued to invest in the area of special education support.

Next year, the Department will invest approximately €2 billion in the area of special educational needs. That is one fifth of the Department's budget and an increase of more than 50% since 2011. Since the EPSEN Act was enacted, the Department’s policy on supporting children with special educational needs has changed and evolved on foot of evidence-based policy advice from the NCSE which takes account of international perspectives. Significantly, the focus of special needs education provision has changed from a model that is diagnosis-led to one which is driven by the needs of the child. This is a substantially different view from the one underlying the EPSEN Act. The levels of investment by the Government in special education have increased to facilitate the underlying reforms required to implement and embed the needs-based approach. This change is evidenced by the introduction of new allocation models for special education teachers and special needs assistants.

The Deputy may recall that I recently published my action priorities for the coming years. One of those key objectives as Minister of State with responsibility for special education is to carry out a review of the EPSEN Act. This review will take into account the extent of additional investment made in special education services since 2004 and the move towards a needs-based approach. I will also work with colleagues in the Government to ensure there is a joined-up approach and a continuum of support for all children with special educational needs.

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