Alan Dillon (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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68. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the details of the funding available to schools for the development or enhancement of facilities for special education; and if funding programmes such as the minor works scheme could be expanded for the improvement of special education facilities. [24784/21]

Alan Dillon (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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I wish to ask the Minister for Education to provide details of the funding available to schools for the development and enhancement of education facilities and if funding programmes such as the minor works schemes could be expanded for the improvement of special education facilities.

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Deputy and appreciate the question. I recognise the great importance of investing in special education. A significant investment is being made in both special classes and special schools by the Department of Education. Almost one fifth of the Department's budget, amounting to €2 billion, is spent on special education annually.

The National Council for Special Education, NCSE, has a statutory function to plan and co-ordinate the provision of education and support services to children with special educational needs, in consultation with the relevant education partners and the HSE. This includes the establishment of special classes and special school placements in geographical areas where there is an identified need.

When the NCSE sanctions a special class in a school, the school authorities can apply to my Department for capital funding to reconfigure an existing space within the school building to accommodate the class or to construct additional accommodation under my Department's additional school accommodation scheme, or both. Similarly, where special schools are requested to expand provision or wish to refurbish existing facilities, they may apply to my Department for capital funding to carry out these works. Between 2018 and 2020, permanent accommodation was delivered for 229 special classes and for 67 new classrooms in special schools.

As the Deputy is aware, a minor works grant is payable to all primary schools. This grant provides good flexibility at local level to make improvements to the physical infrastructure of school buildings, including the enhancement of facilities for special needs pupils. The grant payment structure reflects the priority of supporting special needs provision, with the grant rate for special needs students in special classes and special schools being four times the standard rate for mainstream students. For example, a 60-pupil primary school will receive €19,830, comprising €6,610 paid in July, a further €6,610 in additional funding as part of July stimulus, and an early payment of €6,610.

Alan Dillon (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister. I see a great opportunity to expand the funding schemes in the Department, with specific emphasis on empowering local schools to increase their special education resources. I am thinking specifically about repurposing the minor works scheme and the summer works scheme. I am aware that the Department has increased the rate of capitalisation per special needs pupil in a school but it does not allow for meaningful projects in many rural schools with low pupil numbers.

There are other avenues to increase special education funding, such as the creation of a special education grant like the basic grant already paid to schools. This would enable small-scale projects to be pursued specifically for meeting special educational needs. It would empower local principals and families who want to use more local schools as avenues.

Regarding the NCSE, it is a matter of SENOs recognising parents and guardians as key stakeholders in respect of the child and committing to good relationships. I would go so far as to say we need a dramatic reform of the process for assessing pupils’ needs and of how the NCSE engages with education plans for children.

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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The funding streams being made available to schools are often four times the standard rate of funding made available for mainstream students. That is as it should be. The Deputy referred specifically to smaller schools. A 60-pupil primary school receives just short of €20,000, which comprises grants spread throughout the year, including the minor works payment in July, the minor works payment later in the year and the stimulus package. That means substantial additional funding for schools in terms of minor works. On top of that, there is funding being provided for personal protective equipment, enhanced cleaning and the replacement of staff.

With regard to other grants, furniture and equipment grants are available to schools. For example, there is a start-up grant of €6,500, an ICT grant of more than €5,000, a furniture grant of €2,500, and a multisensory room grant €7,000, all made available to special schools.

Alan Dillon (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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The Minister might be aware of the recent clarification by the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage on the housing adaptation grant that can be used by families to install sensory rooms in their homes. That is why I have raised this question today. It is very welcome news for many families and children with autism and will certainly make the home an improved learning environment. I know of many families around Mayo who will be looking to the minor works funding to make significant improvements in their homes. I ask that the Minister outline specific funding avenues available to schools for the development of enhanced special educational needs facilities. Some parents do not feel empowered to demonstrate to school principals on the issue of where funding can be pursued. I ask that the information be made available publicly and in a structured way.

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Deputy. I welcome the announcement by the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage on the home supports being made available. It is a positive and progressive step forward. I take the Deputy's point on making the public aware of the funding streams available to special schools. I will certainly take it on board. The funding is available but I take the point that there might well be an opportunity to disseminate the information more widely and to make it more accessible to parents and guardians.

With regard to the setting up of an ASD class, the Deputy made specific reference to multisensory rooms. There is a grant of around €7,000 for the development of multisensory rooms in special schools. That is in addition to the other funds I outlined.