Neale Richmond (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I greatly appreciate the opportunity to contribute to the debate. This is an issue that is emotive to many of us and not just from our work as constituency TDs dealing with so many different families on a daily basis who face such a range of challenges and need so much support from their local representatives. Those of us who are lucky enough to have children also see it in the schools they attend, their peer groups, and their friends. This is one of the biggest issues facing many. That is why I am so glad to follow the Minister of State, Deputy Naughton, in saying a few words to underline fundamentally to the Opposition that the Government fully recognises the importance of an inclusive and all-embracing education system. Never is it more important than in the case of children with special educational needs. I will try to respond to some of the points made by Deputies, although in a more generalised manner.

I fundamentally believe that our most vulnerable children in society must of course be prioritised. The Department of Education has engaged intensely with the National Council for Special Education on the forward planning for new special classes for the next school year 2024-25. I see that in respect of the national school in the area where I live, which will open its second special class in September. The NCSE has advised the Department that it expects any remaining new special classes will be finalised very shortly and that this additional provision, coupled with vacancies in existing special classes, will provide the additional capacity needed for the coming school year. It is important to note that there are vacancies in existing special classes as children move from primary to post-primary or leave our school system. These places are filled on an ongoing basis. Furthermore, the NCSE is working with schools that may be available to open classes for September 2024 but whose capacity may not be required at this time. These will remain options for additional provision, if required, throughout the 2024-25 school year. The NCSE is working tirelessly with the remaining families known to it to access specialist places. This will continue until children are in the places they need to be to ensure they have an appropriate education.

This accelerated delivery of special education placements is supported by significant capital investment in schools. Since 2020, the Government has invested in the region of €4.8 billion of capital funding in schools throughout the country. In April, the Minister, Deputy Foley, announced that 90 school building projects would move from tender to construction during 2024 and early 2025. These projects include 138 classrooms for children with special educational needs and new buildings for two special schools, which moved to construction earlier this year. During 2022 and 2023 alone, the school building programme provided accommodation for 80 additional or modernised classrooms in special schools and 459 classrooms for special classes in mainstream schools.

There will more special education teachers in our schools in September 2024 than ever before, an increase of 1,000 from the 2020-21 school year. It is important to state that while this is the overall figure, these supports are in place to support individual children. The NCSE works with individual schools and families to ensure they are supported. This is in addition to a significant reduction in class sizes at primary level over three budgets to where our pupil-teacher ratio at primary level is now 23:1. That is an issue no doubt many of us will discuss with the INTO tomorrow morning. This means, more than ever, children with special educational needs in our mainstream schools are best supported to meet their needs.

In addition, the model will now be run annually in line with general teacher allocations. This allows schools to better plan their staffing structures and gives them time to arrange clusters in areas where schools share a special education teacher, SET. Complex needs have not been removed. Instead, the data which was used since 2017 from the children's disability network team and which is no longer routinely available, is being replaced by high-quality, verifiable education data. The complex needs of children are now supported through the educational teaching needs profile of each school. The SET allocations have been publicly supported by the National Parents Council and bodies representing principals at both primary and post-primary level.

Since the publication of the allocations for 2024-25, officials in the Department of Education have undertaken very considerable briefings with our advocacy group stakeholders, including a full day in-person meeting with the Department, NCSE and National Educational Psychological Service to provide an opportunity for the organisations to raise their concerns and to allow the Department’s senior official to respond to and clarify any misperceptions. Following the meeting, the Department provided the organisations with written responses, including presentations on the changes. Department officials have also been in communication with the organisations in recent weeks in relation to work that is ongoing on updating the guidelines for schools on the deployment and usage of the SET resources allocated. In addition, the Department meets and consults with these groups on a regular basis on a range of issues, either pertinent to their own members or regarding national policy.

The Department of Education and the NCSE understand that the provision of education for children with special educational needs is more than just providing special classes and special school places. A wide range of supports and resources are available to students and schools in special education. It is important to remember that the vast majority of children with special educational needs are supported to attend mainstream education with their peers. Some 97% of all students attend mainstream classes with their peers across the primary and post-primary system. Children with special educational needs are supported by special education teachers and special needs assistants.

Over 19,000 special education teachers are now employed across the system, as well as over 21,000 SNAs. Over 14,500 of these special education teachers will be supporting children with special educational needs in mainstream classes in September. This is 1,000 more posts than were available just three years ago in 2021. There has been a 30% increase in the number of SNAs in our system since 2019.

Primary schools are allocated a teacher and two SNA posts for every new special class opening. Post-primary schools are allocated one and a half teaching posts and two SNAs. Additional supports by way of enhanced capitation, start-up grants, furniture grants, ICT grants and school transport support are also provided. Support for specialised furniture and equipment is also available. It must be said that the majority of schools gained resources under the SET model. In the 30% that saw reductions, this was nearly always due to falling enrolments. Every school is different. We must remember that but the bottom line is that if schools need additional resources, they will be provided through the new review process. In 2023, €4.2 million was provided to provide equipment to allow children with additional needs to access the curriculum in their schools. This funding has supported approximately 5,000 children. The Government has introduced measures as part of budget 2024 to recognise the particular challenges facing special schools that support students with the most complex needs. From September 2024, all special schools will now have an administrative deputy principal. In addition, 100 new post-primary teaching posts will also be provided across special schools from 2024.

The Department has introduced a new nursing pilot programme to support children who require nursing support to attend school. New programmes have also been introduced to support the transition of children with special educational needs after school and to support greater inclusion at local level between special schools and mainstream schools.

Parents of children with special educational needs often refer to the need for clear curriculum pathways for their children at post-primary level. From September, the first modules for new senior cycle level 1 and level 2 programmes should be available in our schools. These new modules are part of senior cycle reform and build on the success of level 1 and level 2 programmes at junior cycle.

In September 2021, the Department of Education published guidelines for schools on the use of reduced school days. These guidelines came into effect from 1 January 2022. The purpose of the guidelines is to provide clarity to school authorities and parents or guardians on the use of reduced school days and to ensure that this practice is limited to circumstances where it is deemed absolutely necessary. Where reduced school days are used, schools must put the best interests of the child first. The guidelines provide for consultation with parents and guardians and require their consent for the use of a reduced school day. The implementation of the guidelines requires schools to notify Tusla when a reduced school day is proposed. The first set of reduced school day data was published in September 2023 and covered the period from January to June 2022 and the school year from September 2022 to June 2023. The data contained in this report will be instrumental in informing the development of future policy in this area. Tusla is currently reviewing the code of behaviour guidelines and there is significant engagement with a wide range of stakeholders, including disability groups, to ensure that they take account of the lived experience.

With regard to the summer programme, formerly known as the July programme, we will continue to focus on ensuring that children with the greatest level of need have access to a school-based programme. As the Minister of State, Deputy Naughton, has already said, we have seen tremendous increases in participation, particularly in special schools, and we will ensure that all measures and incentives are aimed at continuing that growth. For the first time, the Minister of State responsible for this area sits at the Cabinet table. This is a clear endorsement of the focus we are putting on it and of the continuing work of Deputy Naughton. I will take this moment to pay personal tribute to her on what she has been able to do for a great many families in my constituency in just a few weeks.

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