Charlie McConalogue (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)
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175. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of children at primary school with a moderate learning disability; the total cost to her Department, if the July provision was extended to include children with a moderate learning disability; her plans to extend the July provision to include children with a moderate learning disability; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18736/15]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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July Provision is available to all special schools and mainstream primary schools with special classes catering for children with autism that choose to extend their education services through the month of July. My Department also provides July Provision for pupils with a severe/profound general learning disability. Where school based provision is not feasible, home based provision may be grant aided.

In 2014 the July programme provided additional support to 6,731 eligible children at a cost of €10.3 million.

I have been advised by the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) that in 2014/2015 school year there were 1,814 children with a Moderate General Learning Disability enrolled in schools.

It is not possible to accurately estimate the total cost to the Department if July Provision was to be extended to this cohort of children. This is because it is not possible to determine the number of children who could avail of July Provision in their schools or the number of those children who would access July provision in the home. However, as an indicative figure, if all such children were to access July Provision the estimated cost of such would be approximately €2.4m. This figure also assumes an SNA allocation which would be equivalent to that provided currently for children with Autism.

The Deputy may be aware that the NCSE is at an advanced stage in preparing policy advice on the education of children with autism which will incorporate a review of current state- funded educational provision for children with autism including July Provision. I expect that the final report, which is to be delivered shortly, will consider the broadest possible range of views and provide recommendations which will assist the development of policy for future years. The July Provision Scheme will be considered in the context of the recommendations.