Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for raising this issue as it gives me an opportunity to outline the current position regarding provision for children with special education needs, including autism. In fairness, I acknowledge his ongoing engagement with me and his very clear and specific interest in this area of education. I thank him for that.

Enabling children with special educational needs to receive an education appropriate to their needs is a priority for this Government. This year, the Department of Education will invest in excess of €2 billion or more than 25% of the Department's budget in special education needs support. As a result, the numbers of special education needs teachers, special needs assistants, SNAs, and special class and school places are at unprecedented levels in this country.

Since 2011, the number of special classes in mainstream schools has increased by almost 386% from 548 to 2,118 for the 2021-22 school year. Of these, 1,854 special classes cater for students with autism. Throughout 2020 and 2021, the Department of Education and the NCSE have worked closely on a more streamlined and joined-up planning process, which has ensured a targeted approach to meet demand for special needs placements ahead of each new school year. This approach is delivering. This intensive intervention has seen an additional 269 special classes providing more than 1,600 new places opened nationwide for the 2021-22 school year.

Notwithstanding the extent of this investment, there are some parts of the country where increases in population and other issues have led to concerns regarding a shortage of school places. The NCSE has responsibility for co-ordinating and advising on the education provision for children nationwide. It has well-established structures in place for engaging with schools and parents. The NCSE seeks to ensure that schools in an area can between them cater for all children who have been identified as needing special class placements.

Normally, special class and special school places are established with the full co-operation of the schools in areas where they are required. There are, however, some parts of the country where the NCSE has faced challenges in getting schools and their patrons to voluntarily agree to provide special classes or special school places. I know this can cause much anguish for the parents and families involved.

There is currently a network of 357 special classes in Cork of which 309 are special classes for children with autism. Of those, 228 are at primary level, including 21 early intervention classes and 81 at post-primary level. A total of 45 new special classes were established for the 2021-22 school year.

The NCSE, through its network of special educational needs organisers, SENOs, is currently engaging in a process of establishing new classes for the 2022-23 school year and beyond. The council is looking at local information with regard to projected demand for future special education places, particularly to cater for students with autism who have associated complex needs.

Budget 2022 has provided for the creation of 287 additional special classes for the 2022-23 school year. These additional classes will provide more than 1,700 new places this year. This additional provision will bring the total number of special classes to more than 2,400 in the 2022-23 school year.

The provision of special school places in Cork was also significantly increased for the 2021-22 school year with the opening of a new special school in Carrigaline. The number of places available in this school will again increase for September 2022 and work is also progressing on the expansion of an existing special school in Rochestown. Overall, budget 2022 has provided for an additional 23 teaching pots and 46 SNA posts in special schools nationwide, which will create an additional 140 special school places in 2022.

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