Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The Deputy asked what has changed or what has developed. I will take education alone. There have been very significant developments since this Government was formed. Seven special schools have been established, and five of those are up and running. We focused on special education very quickly because, prior to that, there had not been the establishment of special schools. There are two in particular in the Cork area and a third under way. There has also been a very significant increase in the number of special needs assistants working in our schools over and above what was a very significant scheme, which I introduced back in 1998. I have had a lifelong interest in special needs education and I am very keen that we continue to improve resources.

Approximately 20,045 special education teachers will be available for allocation to schools in 2024. That is an increase of 20% compared with 2019-20, when the number was 16,626. By the end of this year, there will be 21,584 SNAs available to schools. That is an increase of more than 35%. Therefore, there has been a difference and there have been improvements in some areas of special needs provision. Back in the 2019-20 school year, that number stood at 15,000. Moving from 15,000 to 21,000 SNAs is a significant degree of progress on that front. Approximately 51,000 children participated in the summer programme last year, which was an increase of 300% over the 2019 figure. There are about 389 new special classes for this year, which gives us about 1,300 new special classes sanctioned over the past four years.

An agreement on section 39 pay and funding was reached in October. That had been raised in this House. Overall, as regards the health side, €700 million extra has been invested in disabilities between 2018 and 2023. Some 5 million hours of home support will be delivered this year in personal assistant and home support services. As regards children's disability services, approximately 800 whole-time equivalent posts in the CDNTs in recent years have been provided for in additional funding. Some 350 of those posts have been filled. There are issues around staffing vacancies due to staff movement. Remaining CDNT posts are at various stages of recruitment. People on disability allowance, blind pension and invalidity pension are €29 better off per week since the Government took office. We have brought in a range of cost-of-living supports for disability services in the cost-of-living package.

In respect of the disabled drivers and passengers scheme, which provides relief from VRT and VAT on the use of an adaptive car as well as an exemption from motor tax, approximately €80 million is provided. A new scheme is being developed. The senior officials group is meeting to bring that to a conclusion.

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