Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)

I thank Deputy Gannon. I am taking this Topical Issue on behalf of the Minister of State, Deputy Moynihan.

The Department of Education and Youth and the National Council for Special Education, NCSE, are aware of the recent issues raised by the school to which the Deputy refers. Both Department and NCSE officials are engaging with the school directly to address the concerns raised. A meeting was held on 7 November between the Department, the NCSE, the school management team and a representative from the school’s board of management. The school will continue to be prioritised for support by the NCSE, by the National Educational Psychological Service, NEPS, and by the Department’s inspectorate.

The meeting last week also identified a number of areas which can be progressed in the short term. Department officials will ensure that the school’s management is informed of developments on an ongoing basis. It is important that schools raise concerns with the Department and the NCSE when they arise so that supports and-or advice and guidance can be provided when they are required. I know special schools face a number of additional challenges and the Department and the NCSE are available to provide support when required. Special schools now have both administrative principal and administrative deputy principal posts since September 2024. These additional posts are proving instrumental in assisting principals with leadership and management functions, with both the necessary support for learning and parental and community engagement. The NCSE has recruited additional SENOs, team managers and advisors to support all schools, with special schools prioritised across the board for support. On the advisory side, the NCSE is developing a greater level of curriculum, behaviour and other training supports for schools. New leads for these important areas of work have been appointed and are available to work with schools to design and deliver new bespoke training and supports.

Aligned to the issues which the school has raised, two other priorities in relation to special education refer to therapy supports and day-to-day funding to cover the increasing costs of running our special schools. Securing funding on both issues was a key focus in the recent budget discussions. The programme for Government 2025 commits to the introduction of an education therapy support service. This service will begin in special schools and gradually extend to special classes and mainstream settings, ensuring all children can access occupational therapy and speech and language therapy in a timely and effective way. The allocation of €16 million in budget 2026 will support the continued roll-out of this service, along with the necessary resources and supports. These therapeutic services will build the capacity of school communities to better support all children and provide one-to-one therapy interventions for those who need them most. This is a transformative initiative and one that will make a real difference in the lives of children and families. Budget 2026 has also delivered increased investment in teacher professional learning in special education, additional funding for assistive technologies and enhanced capitation, which will benefit, in particular, children in special schools. In real terms, the capitation increases which have been secured - the increase in the base rates, the enhanced rate for students aged 12 and over in special schools, and the application of a payment threshold for a minimum of 60 students in all schools - will make a substantial difference. We must also look to raise the bar and be more ambitious for our children and young people with special educational needs. Initiatives, including new post-primary curriculum pathways, transition supports and new further education and training programmes in development, will help with this.

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