Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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1. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the steps she will take to increase the number of early intervention classes to meet current and projected demand across the State; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [60168/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Deputy. The Department of Children, Disability and Equality has responsibility for provision of services to children of preschool age. The access and inclusion model, or AIM as we know it, provided by that Department enables the full inclusion and meaningful participation of children with disabilities or additional needs in the early childhood care and education, ECCE, scheme. Its goal is to create a more inclusive environment in preschools so that all children availing of preschool regardless of ability can benefit from quality early learning and care. This is in keeping with general policy position of supporting children with additional needs to access supports and services with their peers and siblings in their local community.

There has a been significant increase in resources and supports provided to children with additional needs accessing the AIM programme over recent years. It is important to note that a diagnosis is not required to access AIM supports and that while some children require additional supports at preschool level, many will transition into mainstream classes thereafter. To further supplement the provision of services for these children, my Department also provides a number of early intervention classes in mainstream and special school settings for children aged between three to five years with a diagnosis of autism. There is also a small number dedicated to children who are deaf or hard-of-hearing.

These classes are intended to provide early support to children with the most complex of needs before they start school and can aid their transition to junior infants. The vast majority of young children with additional needs are therefore supported to attend their local early childhood care and education, ECCE, setting and do not need to attend a primary school or special school to access early years support. A professional recommendation for a placement in such a class is also a requirement. Where the National Council for Special Education, NCSE, identifies a need for an early intervention class, the class is sanctioned and supports are provided by my Department to ensure the school can accommodate the class.

We have 3,000 new special places being created in our education system for the current school year. The NCSE is currently examining the level of need by special class and special school type and where these places are best located, including for early intervention classes. For this year alone, there have been three new classes opened and this is responding to the need that has been identified.

Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire. I think the Minister will agree that those who avail of early intervention classes along with their families reflect on them very positively. Has there been an assessment of unmet need? Is it the case that this is demand-led through the NCSE? If there has been an assessment of unmet need, what are the plans to meet that need into the future?

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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Where a need is identified through engagement with the NCSE, this is where early intervention classes are opening. To give context - the Deputy will forgive me but I believe my figures from the Minister for children are right - approximately 96% plus of young children between the ages of three and five are accessing the ECCE scheme. Those children, without having to do any means test or assessment, are able to avail of the AIM scheme as well. That leaves fewer than 4% of young children who perhaps are not accessing ECCE and who perhaps for different reasons are not getting or are not able to avail of the level of support they need. That is where the early intervention classes work really well. I have been in some of the classes local to me and I can see how beneficial they are.

At the moment, we have 159 early intervention classes with three newly sanctioned for this year. Again, they are to supplement where the ECCE and AIM schemes are perhaps not providing enough support or are not adequate for those young children for whatever reasons. It is really important particularly at that age where for young children, it is play-based learning. It is not that we want children in school from the age of three; it is that we are trying to support as many young children as possible in the early education years. However, where it is not working, that is where I am absolutely confident and clear that the early intervention classes are supporting those children and are very necessary.

Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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It might be worth having joined-up consideration of it to see if there is opportunity to get additional benefit from more early intervention classes. Has any consideration been given to the potential barrier there of a need for diagnosis at that stage? These are young children. Related to that is the transition between early years and primary school and primary school into secondary school. We now have the new 1 October deadline for the parent notification system. The criteria for relevant documentation at that stage has been a barrier for some people and there is some concern they will be locked out of the system. Can the Minister give us an update on the new scheme, particularly as it relates to those transitioning from-----

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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To answer the Deputy's previous question, and rolling into the next one, the Department looks at, reviews and assesses the level of need and that includes the early intervention classes. The new timeline and the new structure we have put in place will look not just at the demand for a special class place or special school place but also at the potential demand for the early intervention classes. The 1 October deadline has passed and the Minister of State, Deputy Moynihan, and I are working with the NCSE every week and are meeting on a regular basis to look at the overall demand that is there. We are not going to lock anybody out and it is really important to say that. We have a deadline there for a very clear reason, which is to make sure we and, in particular, the NCSE are able to plan ahead but of course we want to work with parents. While we are still working with and managing the data, we are getting a much clearer picture of what the demand is. Last year there was not a requirement for children to have presented to the NCSE by a certain date, which was in February, to get access to a class but it is now a requirement. Children who would earlier on in the year have been unknown to the NCSE are now known, and so we are getting a much clearer picture of what the demand and need is. That will include the overall demand and need for the early intervention classes.