John Cummins (Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Niall Collins, for taking this matter on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Norma Foley, and the Minister of State, Deputy Josepha Madigan. This topic is of the utmost importance to parents and students with additional needs in Tramore and the surrounding areas of County Waterford. The built-up area of Tramore has a population of over 10,000 and its immediate hinterland a further 2,000 as per census 2022. There are four primary schools in the town: Tramore Educate Together National School, Gaelscoil Philib Barún, Holy Cross National School and Glór na Mara National School. Unfortunately, only one of them, Tramore Educate Together National School, has two ASD classrooms. Despite the fact that two further schools in the wider catchment area, Fenor National School and Ballyduff National School, have five ASD classrooms between them, there simply is not sufficient space to meet the huge demand for special school places in the Tramore area.

To put that in context, there are more special classes in New Ross, which has six classes for a population of 7,000, than in Tramore, which has two classes despite having a population that is 3,000 higher. I say that not to pit one area against the other - I am sure those six classes and probably more are needed in the New Ross area - but to emphasise that the provision of special class places in Tramore is wholly inadequate, especially as it is an area with a young and growing population.

In making my remarks, it is important to say that I come from a teaching background, so anything I say is first-hand information, not second-hand or third-hand information. It is based on my lived experience of teaching students with additional needs, which I did up to my election to Seanad Éireann in 2020. The integration of ASD classes within mainstream primary and secondary settings is something that works, and something I strongly believe in. Not only does it work for the student with additional needs, which of course is the most important thing, but it also works for the wider mainstream school population by creating that knowledge, understanding and empathy for those who have additional needs. It is a life skill in itself. I have seen some of the toughest lads in a class have a knowledge, a compassion and an awareness of students with additional needs that I never had when I was in school because we simply were not taught what things like ASD were.

That underscores the importance of the integration that is happening in our school communities across the country. If we want to see that wider integration in our society and an understanding in later life, we have to start with our youngest kids. I firmly believe we are on the right track but we need to address deficits where they exist, and Tramore is certainly one of those areas.

Distraught parents have been in contact with me in recent months who do not have a place for their son or daughter for September. It is an untenable position that we would say to parents that it is okay for them to send one of their children to a school but they cannot send the other child to that school because there is no ASD place, and they have to find an alternative place in Waterford city or somewhere else, at best, or look at home tuition. That is not an acceptable position. I believe every school in this country, both primary and secondary, should have at least one ASD classroom attached to it. We had three such classes in the school I taught in. I have served on the board of management of that school. I think that one of the best decisions we made was to provide ASD classrooms because there are only upsides to that.

My question is this: are there plans for additional special classes in Tramore come September, and if there are not, is it the intention of the Minister and the Department to utilise section 37A to ensure that those necessary places are put in place for students with additional needs?

Paul Daly (Fianna Fail)
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Before the Minister of State commences, I welcome the delegation who are here in an official capacity from the Institute of Higher Studies of the Ministry of the Interior of France. You are very welcome. It is appropriate that we are discussing an educational issue and that we have the Minister of State at the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science with us. You are very welcome and I hope your trip is fruitful.

I call the Minister of State, Deputy Collins.

Niall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail)
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I join the Cathaoirleach in welcoming our guests. I thank the Senator for raising such an important issue. A priority for the Government is to ensure that all children have an appropriate school placement and that the necessary supports are provided to our schools to cater for the needs of children with special educational needs. It is important to remember that the vast majority of children with special educational needs are supported to attend mainstream classes with their peers. To support children with more complex needs, special classes in mainstream schools and special schools are provided.

This year, the Department of Education will spend in excess of €2.6 billion, or more than 27% of the Department’s budget, on providing additional teaching and care supports for children with special educational needs. For the first time we will have more than 19,000 teachers working in the area of special education and more than 20,000 SNAs. We have almost 40,000 qualified and committed people in our schools who are focused wholly and exclusively on supporting children with special educational needs.

The National Council for Special Education, NCSE, has responsibility for co-ordinating and advising on the education provision for children nationwide. Over the past three years, the Department of Education and the NCSE have introduced a number of strategic initiatives to plan for and provide sufficient mainstream, special class and special school places. These initiatives are bearing fruit, with more than 600 new special classes sanctioned at primary level, almost 300 new special classes sanctioned at post-primary level and five new special schools established over the past three years.

The Department is engaging intensely with the NCSE on the forward planning of new special classes for the next school year, 2023-24. On 12 April, the Minister for Education, Deputy Foley, and the Minister of State at the Department of Education, Deputy Madigan, announced the establishment of two new special schools as part of a comprehensive update on enhanced education provision for students with special educational needs. Along with the two new special schools, the Minister and Minister of State also confirmed that 218 new special classes have been sanctioned by the NCSE for opening in the coming school year.

The NCSE has now sanctioned further classes to bring the total number of new special classes to 305, with some further special classes to be sanctioned in the coming weeks. The 305 new classes are made up of 195 at primary and 110 at post-primary level. The vast majority of these new classes are to support children with autism. Of the 305 new special classes sanctioned by the NCSE for the 2023-24 school year, four are in County Waterford, with one at primary level and three at post-primary level. These new classes will bring the total number of special classes in the county to 56, with 36 at primary level and 20 at post-primary level. Specifically, there will be six special classes from September 2023 for the Tramore local school planning area, with four at primary level and two at post-primary level.

The NCSE has advised the Department that it is in negotiation with both schools referred to by the Senator on the opening of new special classes. The issue of available space for additional classes is under consideration. The purpose of the Department of Education’s additional school accommodation scheme is to ensure that essential mainstream classroom accommodation and accommodation for pupils with special education needs is available to cater for pupils enrolled each year, where the need cannot be met by the school's existing accommodation. It is open to the school authority to make an application for additional accommodation through the additional school accommodation scheme, which is available at gov.ie. No such application has been received from either of the schools in question.

I again thank the Senator for raising this issue and for giving me the opportunity to reassure the House that the Department is committed to ensuring that all children can access an education suitable to their needs. I reassure the him that the Department of Education will continue to support the NCSE and schools through the provision of the necessary funding and capital investment to ensure all children are successful in accessing an education.

John Cummins (Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister of State for his reply, a copy of which I have read very carefully. There is slightly contradictory information in it. One additional primary school place in Waterford has been sanctioned. I understand it is in St. Stephen's De La Salle in Waterford city. The reply later references that four primary school ASD classes will be available for September 2023 but only two are in place already. I take it from this that there is confirmation in the reply that an additional two classes will be provided in the Tramore area. This is new information but the next question that will rightly be asked by parents is where are the classes and in which schools will they be. I note in the reply there has not been an application from those schools. I accept that the NCSE constantly engages with schools. As I said in my opening remarks, every primary and second-level school should have at least one ASD class attached to it. This is the only way we will address educational needs.

Niall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Senator for raising what is a very important issue for the Tramore school planning area, not only for the students but also for the parents and the wider community. I reiterate that the Government is absolutely committed to supporting children with special educational needs. The fact that 27% of the entire budget of the Department of Education is allocated to it is a very strong and significant statement by the Department and the Government. With regard to the clarification that the Senator seeks, I cannot give it now but if he writes to me after this debate I will have it followed up and clarified for him directly.