Rose Conway Walsh (Sinn Fein)
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I thank the Minister for coming to the House. The reason I asked him here today is to highlight the need for an autism spectrum disorder, ASD, unit in Castlebar. Castlebar is the county town of Mayo and it is increasingly an issue that children with autism do not have a place to go in the county. While we have St. Patrick's national school and I commend the other ASD units in County Mayo which do very good work, the problem is that there are no ASD units in the county town. All children with autism have a right to a national school education.

To highlight what I am trying to say, I recently learned of a case in which a four year old child who is non-verbal, does not answer to her own name and is incontinent was asked to go to Newport on a bus to access school. That is a round trip of approximately 45 miles. The Minister will know that early intervention is extremely important in the case of children with autism. I want a commitment from him that he will work with the schools in Castlebar. It is not just a matter of adding an ASD unit on to the primary school, but a case of providing the proper resources which may include speech and language or other therapies. There are models of very good practice throughout the country. It is about working with the national schools. We desperately need an ASD unit. One in 60 children have autism and we need to provide those children with an education.

Joe McHugh (Donegal, Fine Gael)
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Gabhaim buíochas leis an Seanadóir as an seans labhairt leis an Seanad faoin ábhar iontach tábhachtach seo inniu. I thank the Senator for raising this issue. Funding for special education provision in 2018 will amount to €1.75 billion, which is an increase of 43% since 2011 and is equivalent to 18.7% of the current overall gross allocation for education and training. My Department's policy is to provide for the inclusive education of children with special educational needs, including autism, in mainstream school settings unless such a placement would not be in the best interests of the child concerned or the children with whom he or she would be educated. The greater proportion of children with autism attend mainstream classes but some require the environment of a special class or special school. This decision is based on a recommendation contained within a professional assessment and in consultation with the National Council for Special Education, NCSE. Special school placements are provided for other students with ASD and very complex special needs who would not manage in a mainstream school even for part of the week.

The NCSE is responsible, through its network of special educational needs organisers, SENOs, for the development, delivery and co-ordination of education services to children with special educational needs, including the establishment of special classes and special school placements. Since 2011 the NCSE has increased the number of special classes nationwide from 548 in 2011 to 1,459 now. Some 1,196 of these classes are special classes for children with autism spectrum disorder. This figure includes four ASD early intervention classes, 13 ASD primary classes, and nine ASD post-primary classes in County Mayo.

The NCSE is aware of emerging needs in Mayo from year to year. Where special provision, including the provision of special classes, is required, such provision is planned and established to meet that need. As part of the ongoing planning process, the NCSE has advised my officials that it is meeting the HSE early intervention team in the Mayo area and holding a parent information seminar in the coming week. Should the NCSE identify a requirement for additional special class placements in this area, it will contact schools in the area with regard to establishing an ASD special class.Schools may also apply to the NCSE to open a special class if a need for such a class has been identified in the local area, for example, if it is indicated in professional reports that a number of students in the area may require the support of a special class. If an existing school is not in a position to accommodate a special class within its existing accommodation, it is open to the school to submit an application to the Department for capital funding to reconfigure existing spaces within the school building to accommodate such a class or construct additional accommodation. I thank the Senator again for raising this important matter.

Rose Conway Walsh (Sinn Fein)
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I am pleased that the Minister's officials will meet the HSE early intervention team in County Mayo. It is not right that so many children and parents are being left behind. Many parents are enduring significant anxiety because they cannot get basic education for their children. I ask the Minister to meet those parents and listen to them. The voices of parents are often lost in all of this. I emphasise to the Minister that this issue needs to be dealt with for economic reasons as well as social ones. By not providing proper early intervention and education for children with autism, we are missing out on what the abilities of all these children can contribute to the State. I look forward to a positive outcome from the meeting that has been mentioned. Perhaps the Minister will come to the House at a later date. It is absolutely imperative for a properly resourced and funded ASD unit to be set up in the county town of Castlebar so that all therapies are provided to children with autism in this part of County Mayo as part of an all-inclusive education.

Joe McHugh (Donegal, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Senator again for raising this important issue. I have always advocated that parents should have an opportunity to choose whether they want to send their children to mainstream classes or, as many parents do, to special schools. Both avenues are open to parents. The increase in the number of special classes from 548 in 2011 to 1,459 now shows that there is demand among parents for their children to attend special classes and ASD units in mainstream schools.

I am confident that the officials who will deal with this school will do so in a professional and urgent way. It is clear from my initial contact and engagement with the people involved in the special education area that the dedication is there. The NCSE has autonomy in this regard. It is removed from me as Minister. I have full confidence that the NCSE will make progress with this issue when the numbers involved have been established and identified. There will have to be consultation with the schools. Provision has been made for schools to apply for additional accommodation through the building unit.

Once again, gabhaim buíochas leis an Seanadóir fá choinne seans a thabhairt dom labhairt sa díospóireacht thar a bheith tábhachtach seo, a bhaineann leis na roghanna atá ag tuismitheoirí daoine óga. It is important for us to continue to provide for parent choice with regard to special schools, special classes and ASD units.