Jim Daly (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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932. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of school places available for children with autism-specific learning challenges within special educational units in County Cork at primary level and at secondary level; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37415/15]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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The policy of my Department is that children with special educational needs, including children with autism, should be included where possible and appropriate in mainstream placements with additional supports provided. In circumstances where children with special educational need require more specialised interventions, special school or special class places are also available.

The Deputy will be aware that 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 establish such new special classes where necessary subject to the willingness of schools to open classes.

Parents can choose to enrol children with autism in an early intervention class from the age of three and where such a placement is not available home tuition is approved. Children with autism over the age of four may also be eligible for home tuition if a school placement is not available for them.

My officials have been advised by the NCSE that there are currently 124 ASD special classes at primary and post primary level in Co. Cork. This includes 24 early intervention classes, 66 classes at primary level and 34 autism classes at post primary level. Each special class for autism has a 6:1 pupil teacher ratio.

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.