Seán Haughey (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)

I am taking this adjournment matter on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Education and Science, Deputy Batt O'Keeffe. I am pleased to clarify the position on the matter.

The child development centres referred to by the Senator are health facilities managed by the Brothers of Charity Services, which provides a range of services in these centres for pre-school children aged between three and six years of age. The children attending these centres have a diagnosis of severe to profound general learning disability, autism or multiple disabilities. As an exceptional matter, the Department has provided funding to the Brothers of Charity Services to facilitate educational provision for a number of children attending the child development centres for whom it had not been possible to source a school placement.

The Government is committed to ensuring that all children with special educational needs can have access to an education appropriate to their needs, preferably in school settings, through the primary and post-primary school network. This facilitates access to individualised education programmes, fully qualified professional teachers, special needs assistants and the appropriate school curriculum.

The Department's policy is to ensure the maximum possible integration of children with special educational needs into ordinary mainstream schools within the child's community where this is in the best interests of the child and those with whom he or she is to be educated. However, there may be circumstances when full integration is not in the best interests of some children. In such cases, these children can attend special classes attached to certain ordinary mainstream schools. These special classes have the same increased levels of staffing and funding as are made available to special schools. Children with special educational needs attending special classes attached to mainstream schools may also, where appropriate, be integrated into ordinary classes for periods of the school day.

Children can also attend special schools that are dedicated to providing education for children with special educational needs. There are over 100 special schools in the country at present and these schools cater for children from four to 18 years of age. Each school has a significantly reduced pupil-teacher ratio, as well as special needs assistant support and increased levels of capitation. For example, special schools catering for children with a severe or profound general learning disability would typically have one classroom teacher and two special needs assistants per class of six pupils.

In County Galway there are approximately 12 special classes catering for pupils with severe to profound general learning disability, autism or a multiple disability. In addition, there are four special schools in County Galway catering for pupils with these diagnoses; one in Galway city and three new special schools established in Tuam, Carraroe and Ballinasloe in 2008.

The Senator will be aware that the National Council for Special Education is responsible, through its network of local special educational needs organisers, SENOs, for allocating resource teachers and special needs assistants to schools to support children with special needs. The National Council for Special Education operates within the Department's criteria in allocating such support. A function of the council through its network of local SENOs includes identifying appropriate educational placements for children with special educational needs.

I understand the local SENO is continuing to liaise with the Brothers of Charity Services and the parents of children attending the child development centres to assist them in sourcing an appropriate school placement for the 2009-10 school year in cases where they are experiencing difficulty in identifying such placements.

I take this opportunity to emphasise that priority will continue to be given to provision for children with special educational needs. I intend to build on the progress that has been achieved in recent years, which has seen a large increase in resources for special needs. The National Council for Special Education will continue to support schools, parents, children and teachers. I thank the Senator for giving me the opportunity to clarify the position and to indicate that the local SENO is endeavouring to solve this problem.