Catherine Byrne (Dublin South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Senator Devine for raising this very important issue. I am taking this matter on behalf of the Minister, Deputy McHugh. I wish to acknowledge the important role stakeholders like AslAm play in promoting education and the inclusion of children in education. The Minister, Deputy McHugh, recently met with AslAm and was impressed with its work. Officials are studying the report published yesterday and the Minister will be discussing its recommendations with them.

Enabling children with special educational needs, including autism, to receive an education appropriate to their needs is a priority for this Government. At present, we are investing heavily in supporting our children with special educational needs, with €1.8 billion being spent annually, which represents approximately €1 in every €5 of the education budget. This includes an allocation of more than €300 million towards providing additional resources specifically to support students with autism in schools. The number of autism spectrum disorder, ASD, special classes has more than doubled in the last five years from 511 in 2014 to 1,196 across the country now. In addition, 124 special schools provide for children with autism and very complex special needs.

The work of the Department of Education and Skills in respect of special education is informed by evidence-based advice from the National Council for Special Education. The NCSE consults extensively with stakeholders, including parents, experts and organisations like AslAm, which has provided useful insights into difficulties experienced by children and families in getting an education. The NCSE is currently developing advice for the Department on education provision in special classes and special schools. The council is examining whether there are any students for whom both specialist and mainstream educational settings are currently not working and, if there are, will consider what might be contributing to this. Schools are required to have policies in place for the promotion of student well-being, positive behaviour and an environment that is conducive to good teaching and learning. The thrust of these policies is early intervention and provision of supports so that every child receives an education appropriate to his or her ability. Advice and support is available to help schools in this regard.

The National Educational Psychological Service supports children with ASD, including those who may also present with anxiety. This involves working with teachers to build whole-school capacity to work with children with special educational needs, including autism and anxiety. It also involves working with individual children who are experiencing difficulties. There are legal provisions around the exclusion and expulsion of students and these are the responsibility of Tusla. Fair procedures are a key requirement. Expulsion should be a last resort and reduced timetables should not be used as a behavioural management technique. Where students are excluded from school, the Department provides home tuition as a short-term measure until a more permanent solution is identified.

The NCSE is aware of the recent demand for additional special class and special school placements in the Dublin area. Planning is actively under way to ensure that children without a suitable placement for next year are provided with such a placement. We expect a clearer picture to emerge in the coming weeks when schools have finalised their enrolments. The NCSE is leading the work in this regard with significant support from the Department.

Responsibility for ensuring all children have access to a suitable education is a shared responsibility. The Minister, Deputy McHugh, is confident that through the work of the NCSE and the co-operation of schools we can address the current difficulties.