John Paul Phelan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

161. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide details of the number of children, at primary school level and at secondary school level, in an area (details supplied) of County Dublin, who have been accepted as qualifying for inclusion in a special Autism Spectrum Disorder unit, located in a mainstream school, if places are available. [8389/15]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The information sought by the Deputy is not available as the enrolment of a child to a school is a matter in the first instance for the parents of the child and the Board of Management of a school. My Department has no role in relation to processing applications for enrolment to schools.

I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department's policy focuses on ensuring that all children with special educational needs can have access to an education appropriate to their needs and abilities.

A range of placement options for pupils with special educational needs is provided in order to ensure that all pupils can receive a school placement. Many pupils with special educational needs will be able to attend a local mainstream school, whereas for pupils who have needs which require more specialist interventions, special class and special school placements are provided for.

The National Council for Special Education (NCSE), through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs), engages with schools annually in order to plan for, and to open, new special classes each yea, in order to ensure there are sufficient special class placements available at primary and post-primary school level to meet demand in a given area.

SENOs also assist parents to identify appropriate educational placements for children with special educational needs and advise parents in relation to supports which may be available to support children with special educational needs, including special transport arrangements which may be made available. The NCSE operates within my Department's criteria in allocating such support.

The NCSE will continue to monitor and review the requirement for special class places in the area referred to by the Deputy and has capacity to open such new special classes where necessary.

Parents may contact their local SENO directly to discuss their child's special educational needs and to seek assistance in identifying placement options, using the contact details available on www.ncse.ie.

The NCSE has published a Guide for Parents and Guardians of Children and Young People with Special Educational Needs on Choosing a School. This guide is also available at www.ncse.ie.