David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I will ask officials from the Department of Education and Skills to convey to the Senator the information she has requested. A range of in-service professional development supports has been provided to teachers by the Department since March 2017. The NCSE support service has a remit to develop schools' capacity to include students with special educational needs and to promote a continuum of inclusive and responsive education provision. In addition, as the Senator will be aware, the Department provides funding support for teachers to expand their capacity through courses at the Middletown Centre for Autism and through funded postgraduate qualification provision at a number of higher education institutions for teachers involved in learning support and special education. I agree with the Senator that pupils with special needs should stay in their own communities as much as possible, and I note her point.