Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Senator Carrigy for his Commencement matter which is a very important one and, as he has referred to himself, I am aware of a number of cases in my own home town of Mullingar where there is no capacity at all. This is a shocking situation for families who need certainty and are under significant pressure at the moment in trying to get a place for their children into the future.

This year, the Department of Education will invest in excess of €2 billion, or over 25% of the Department's budget, in the area of special educational needs support. As a result, the numbers of special education teachers, special needs assistants and special class and school places are at unprecedented levels. Since 2011, the number of special classes in mainstream schools has increased from 548 to a current total of 2,148 for the 2021-2022 school year. Of these, almost 1,900 special classes cater for students with autism.

Recognising some of the difficulties experienced by parents in securing appropriate school placements over the past two years, the Department of Education and the National Council for Special Education, NCSE, have worked closely on a more streamlined and joined-up planning process which has ensured a targeted approach to meet demand for special needs placements ahead of each new school year. Overall, this intensive intervention has seen an additional 300 special classes, providing 1,800 new places, which have already opened nationwide for the 2021-22 school year.

The NCSE has responsibility for co-ordinating and advising on the education provision for children with special educational needs nationwide. It has well established structures in place for engaging with schools and parents. The NCSE seeks to ensure that schools in an area can, between them, cater for all the children who have been identified as needing special class placements. The Department, the Minister, Deputy Foley, and the Minister of State, Deputy Madigan, continue to prioritise support of this work. As correctly referred to by the Senator, that is very important because there are very vulnerable families travelling a distance, if they are lucky enough at times, in order to get a place. The transport system can pose a great problem for and stress on a family.

The Department also recognises that where parents have difficulties in securing an appropriate school placement for their child, particularly a child with additional needs, it can be a stressful experience. The Department is working hard to ensure that there are sufficient school places, appropriate to the needs of all children, available on a timely basis nationwide.

As matters stand, the Department in this reply has confirmed that there is a total of 30 autism spectrum disorder, ASD, special class places in post-primary schools in the Athlone and Moate area. The Department and the NCSE are always grateful to schools that express a willingness to open a special class to meet the educational needs of students in their local communities.

There are special educational needs organisers, SENOs, located across the country and they have a specific remit in helping and supporting parents in accessing the education necessary for their children, including in identifying suitable school placements. The NCSE is currently engaging in a process of establishing new classes for the 2022-23 school year and beyond. The NCSE is looking at local information on projected demand for future special education places, particularly to cater for students with autism who have associated complex needs.

The NCSE has also been working with stakeholders in Westmeath for a number of years to meet the identified need in the county. SENOs are currently engaged with schools and boards of management in the Athlone and the wider Westmeath-Roscommon regions to establish the level of need to ensure that the necessary arrangements are put in place to meet that need.

I should also state that budget 2022 has provided funding to the Department of Education and the NCSE for the creation of 287 additional special classes for the 2022-23 school year. These additional classes will provide more than 1,700 new places this year. This additional provision will bring the total number of special classes to more than 2,400 in the 2022-23 school year.