Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

In the first instance, I send the apologies of the Minister for Education, Deputy Foley. Like Deputy Lahart, I have experienced some of those same issues, unfortunately, in my own constituency. I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. It provides an opportunity for the Department to outline the current position regarding provision for children with special educational needs, including autism. 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 the area of special educational needs support. As a result, the numbers of special education teachers, special needs assistants, SNAs, and special class and school places are at unprecedented levels. Since 2011, the number of special classes in mainstream schools has increased from 548 to a current total of 2,148 for the 2021-2022 school year.

Recognising some of the difficulties experienced by parents in securing appropriate school placements, over the past two years, the Department of Education and the National Council for Special Education, NCSE, have worked closely on a more streamlined and joined-up planning process. This has ensured a targeted approach to meet demand for special needs placements ahead of each new school year. Overall, this intensive intervention has seen an additional 300 special classes providing 1,800 new places already opened nationwide for the 2021-2022 school year.

The NCSE has responsibility for co-ordinating and advising on the education provision for children with special educational needs nationwide. It has well-established structures in place for engaging with schools and parents. The NCSE seeks to ensure schools in an area between them can cater for all children who have been identified as needing special class placements. The Department and the Minister, Deputy Foley, and Minister of State, Deputy Madigan, continue to prioritise and support this work.

The Department of Education recognises that it can be a stressful experience where parents have difficulties in securing an appropriate school placement for a child, particularly a child with additional needs. The Department is working hard to ensure there are sufficient school places appropriate to the needs of all children available on a timely basis nationwide. It is also envisaged, in line with demographics and as part of forward planning, that special classes will be required at most, if not all, post-primary schools in Dublin.

A range of measures to meet additional special educational needs, SEN, capacity demands have already been put in place, including the utilisation of spare capacity in existing schools and delivery of additional SEN capacity within the scope of existing building projects. Additionally, it is general practice to include a SEN base in the accommodation brief for new school buildings unless exceptional local circumstances indicate it is not required. The extent of provision made at these schools is informed by the level of demand in the area as well as the size of the school.

Looking specifically to the Dublin South-West postcodes of Dublin 6W, 12, 16 and 24, there are currently 65 special classes for students with autism in this area. This comprises 54 autism spectrum disorder, ASD, special classes at primary level, including five ASD early intervention classes, and 11 special classes at post-primary level, providing 390 placements for students. Both the Department of Education and the NCSE are always grateful to schools that express a willingness to open a special class to meet the educational needs of students in their local communities.

There are special educational needs organisers, SENOs, located throughout the country who have a key specific remit in helping and supporting parents in accessing the additional education necessary for their children, including identifying suitable school placements.

The NCSE is currently engaged in a process of establishing new classes for the 2022-2023 school year and beyond and is looking at the information relating to projected demand for future special education places, especially to cater for students with autism who have associated complex needs.

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