James Breen (Clare, Independent)
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Question 494: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if she will increase the number of one to one places in specialist schools for children with autism; if she will introduce a code of practice whereby the mainstreaming of such children into general education will only take place after consultation with family and professionals working with the child; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6149/07]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The Deputy will be aware of my commitment to ensuring that all children, including those with autism receive an education appropriate to their needs, preferably through the primary and post primary school network. My Department is of the view that children with autism, in common with all children should have access to appropriate provision delivered by suitably qualified teachers within the school system where children have greatest opportunity mix with their wider peer group and have maximum opportunities for integration.

My Department's ongoing commitment is to ensuring that all children, including those with Autistic Spectrum Disorders, receive an education appropriate to their needs. In this regard my Department has established:

181 special classes for children with autism, attached to special and mainstream schools.

5 special classes for children with Asperger's Syndrome.

16 preschool classes to facilitate the demand for early intervention provision for children on the autistic spectrum.

14 Stand alone facilities providing an Applied Behavioural Analysis (ABA) specific methodologies on a pilot basis — 2 of these facilities have yet to be established.

Children on the autistic spectrum may, depending on their individual needs, attend mainstream school on a fully or partially integrated basis or attend special autism-specific classes or units in mainstream schools or special schools. My Department does not accept that all children on the autistic spectrum require one-to-one support. The staffing complement in special classes for children with autism is one teacher and a minimum of two SNAs to each class of six pupils. Additional SNA support may be provided on the basis of the assessed needs of individual pupils.

The Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act 2004 requires that all children with special educational needs are educated in inclusive environments with children who do not have such needs unless the nature or degree of those needs is such that to do so would be inconsistent with the best interests of the child as determined in accordance with any assessment carried out under the Act or the effective provision of education for children with whom the child is to be educated.