Written answers

Wednesday, 6 May 2015

Department of Education and Skills

Special Educational Needs Service Provision

Photo of Mary Lou McDonaldMary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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452. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the supports in place for children with autism in schools in the Clondalkin, Newcastle, Rathcoole, Lucan, and Palmerstown areas of County Dublin; her views that the current level of support provided in these schools is meeting the needs of young pupils with autism in these areas; her plans to increase investment in these supports. [17294/15]

Photo of Mary Lou McDonaldMary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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453. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the supports in place for children with autism in a school (details supplied) in Dublin 22; her views that the current level of support provided in this school is meeting the needs of young pupils with autism in catchment areas served by this school; and her plans to increase investment in these supports. [17295/15]

Photo of Mary Lou McDonaldMary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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454. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills her plans for increasing the number of school places for children with autism in the Lucan and Clondalkin areas in County Dublin; the number of such places currently available in schools in these areas; the number of young persons living in these areas on waiting lists for such places; and her plans for meeting the needs of those young persons who currently do not have access to such places. [17311/15]

Photo of Jan O'SullivanJan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 452 to 454, inclusive, together.

My Department's policies focus on ensuring that all children can have access to an education appropriate to their needs, preferably in school settings through the primary and post primary school network.

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), is responsible for processing applications from primary and post primary schools for special educational needs supports, including the establishment of special classes in various geographical areas as required. The NCSE operates within my Department's criteria in allocating such support.

SENOs engage with schools annually in order to plan for, and to open, new special classes each year, 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.

All schools have the names and contact details of their local SENO. Parents are encouraged to liaise with the local SENO to discuss placement options for their child.

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

Details of all of the special classes for children with special educational needs which are attached to mainstream schools are published each year on the NCSE website at www.ncse.ie.

The NCSE is also currently considering applications by schools to establish new special classes for the coming 2015/16 school year.

I have arranged for the Deputy's request for specific detail on provision in the school referred to, and also in the areas referred to, to be forwarded to the NCSE for their attention and direct reply.

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