Joan Collins (Dublin South Central, Independents 4 Change) | Oireachtas source

I have looked back at the announcements made last December when the previous Minister of State, Deputy Madigan, stated that the Department would increase services into the schools. The Minister of State said the NCSE announced a new campaign on 16 October 2023 to recruit additional special education needs organisers and this recruitment is well under way. Can she tell me how many additional SENOs have been recruited since October 2023? She said that planning and work with schools to set up to 400 additional special classes for the 2024-25 school year is well under way. Can she confirm that those 400 additional classes will be on their way before this September?

Regarding my own area and the Dublin 12 Campaign 4 Autism Inclusion, they still do not have enough autism classes. There are schools with none, schools awaiting building work, and children still leaving their own community to go to school. I will come back in again.

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